I LI BRARY OF C ONGRE SS. I 

t -0*4 - ) - T>3 - I 

# — # 
I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.} 




The Summons at Ear gate 



LOSING AID TAKING 



M A i\ S TI L ; 



LECTURES ON THE HOLY WAR 




ALFEED S. PAT TON, A. M. 

Author of "KlncaH ; the Hero Missionary, 1 ' "Light in the Valley," 
"My Joy and Crovra," etc. 



iNEWTOEK: 
SHELDON <& COMPANY, 
BOSTON: GOULD & LINCOLN. 



18 5.9, 




4*^ 

> ^5 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1859, by 

ALFRED S. P ATT OS, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the 
Southern District of New York. 



J. J. Reed, Printer & Stereotyper, 
43 & 45 Centre Street. 



,{ Tis strange to me that they that love to tell 

Things done of old, yea, and that do excel. 

Speak not of Massotjl's wars, but let them lie 

Dead, like old fables, or such worthless things. 

That to the reader no advantage brings : 

Wlien men, let them make what they will their own 

Till they know this, are to themselves unknown." 

BUNYAN. 



PREFACE. 



fTIHERE are few subjects more intensely absorb- 
*- ing than war. The sad and graphic details 
of bloody contests waged by opposing armies, 
whether found in the public journal or in the 
pages of history, awaken an interest which might 
almost be construed into a reflection on our human- 
ity. And even Christians, whose aim and end is 
peace, while profoundly impressed with the unmit- 
igated horrors of war, cannot help being moved by 
its terrific incidents, nor refrain from sympathising 
with those whom they conceive to stand and 
bravely fight -ipon the line of right. 



VI. PREFACE. 

But there is a warfare raging in our world, in 
the results of which every man, whether Saint or 
Sinner, is more deeply interested than in any of 
the contests which have ever enlisted the forces of 
fleets and armies. It is a conflict between the 
immortal Soul, and the powers of darkness, and in 
this war we are ail engaged, and must fight or 
perish. 

This is the war so graphically treated by Bun- 
yan, in the volume which forms the basis of the 
following lectures. It is the history not of a brief 
campaign, but of a life-long contest, sketched by 
an old, experienced and faithful warrior. It is an 
allegorical narrative, written by one who was 
spiritually instructed and guided by deeply pene- 
trating and searching powers of mind. It is the 
record of his own severe brunts with the great 
enemy ; presenting us with a vivid view of a soul 
made subject to sin, yet conquered and recovered 
by divine Mercy. But while we have here por- 
trayed Bunyan's own feelings ; in reading it we 
cannot fail to discover a faithful sketch of our own 
spiritual exercises. It is a record authenticated 



PREFACE. vii. 

by our own personal experience, and every regen- 
erate man, at least, must be charmed with the truth 
and power of the allegory. 

The ability displayed by Bunyan in the whole 
structure of the work, is universally regarded as 
most extraordinary. To use the words of one who 
has made the works of Bunyan the favorite study 
of his life : " It is written by one who possessed 
almost boundless resources of imagination. It is 
more profound, more deeply spiritual than the 
pilgrimage from Destruction to the Celestial City ; 
and is believed by many to be the most beautiful 
and extraordinary allegory that mere human genius 
ever composed in any language." "* 

But, besides the resources of a most fertile 
imagination, and deep spiritual experience, our 
author possessed a practical knowledge of military 
tactics, which evidently gave him peculiar skill 
and facility in arranging the various details of his 
work. He had been engaged as a private soldier 
in the civil war which raged during the middle of 
the seventeenth century, and was at the Siege of 

* Geo. Offer, Esq., London. 



Vlii PREFACE. 

Leicester, when it */as taken by Prince Rupert. 
This, doubtless, ga**j him that intimate knowledge 
of trumpet and bugle sounds, and of the various 
customs of warfare, to which we find frequent allu- 
sion in the course of his wonderful allegory. 

In attempting to explain and apply the spiritual 
lessons suggested by the work, the writer has been 
careful to avail himself of the hints afforded in 
Bunyan ? s own notes, and while he has thus endea- 
vored fully to express the author's own meaning, 
he has also attempted to show its perfect agree- 
ment with the higher teachings of the Divine 
Oracles. Supported by such authority, he indulges 
the earnest hope, that its deep and vital truths 
may be powerfully felt by every reader. 

u But I hare too long held thee in the porch, 
And kept thee from the sunshine with a torch. 
Well, now go forward, step within the door, 
And there behold five hundred times much more 
Of all sorts of such inward rarities 
As please the mind will, and will feed the eyes 
With those, which if a Christian thou shalt see 
Not small, but things of greatest moment be." 



CONTENTS. 



LECTTJEE I. 

Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; 
Or, Man in his Prhial Innocence and Pall. 
" God hath made man upright." — Eo. yii : 29. 

" All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." — Rom. iii : 23. 



LECTURE II. 

A Plan Devised for the Recovery of Mansoul ; 

Or, The Great Bedemption. 

11 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy 
the works of the devil."— 1 John iii : 9. 



LECTUEE III. 

Mansoul Besieged ; 

Or, Earnest and Effective Preaching. 

u Cry aloud, spare [not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my 
people their transgression."— Isa. Iviii : 1. 



ONTBNTS. 



LECTUEE IV. . 

Mansoul Assaulted ; 

Oe, The Loed Woskim with Us. 

" Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world " — Mattk 
xxviii: 20. 

LEOTUKE V. 

Mansoul Subdued ; 
Oe, Geace Teiumphant. 

" And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by 
wicked works 3 yet now hath he reconciled." — Col. i: 21* 

" £Tow, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow 
citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." — Eph. ii : 19. 

LECTUEE VI. 

Eeorganization of the Town Government ; 
Oe, The Feuits of Righteousness. 

{{ For sin shall not have dominion over you." — Rom. vi : 14. 

" That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of 
darkness into his marvellous light." — 1 Peter ii : 9. 



LECTUEE VII. 

Indications of Revolt in Mansoul ; 
Oe, Devices of the Adveesaet. 

" Lest Satan should get an advantage of us : for we are not ignorant of 
his devices." — 2 Cor. ii : 11. 



C X T E XT S . Xi 

LECTUEE Vm. 

New Schemes of Treachery in Mansoul ; 
Ok, Tempting- Sins. 
" Pray that ye enter not into temptation." — Luke Tvii : 40. 

LECTUEE IX. 
Entrance of Iiqiaxuel ixto Mansoul ; 
Oe, Christ ode Joy and Strength. 
" For the joy of the Lord is your strength.' 5 — Xeh. viii : 10. 

*W"ho out of weakness were made strong, waxed valliant in fight, turned 
to flight the armies of the aliens." — Heb. xi: 34. 

LECTUEE X. 
The Toytx seen in its First Beauty ; 
Oe, The Soul Made Perfect nr Holiness. 

That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteous- 
ness and true holiness." — Eph. iv : 24. 

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, hut 'righteousness and 
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." — Rom. xiv : 17. 

LECTUEE XI. 

The Spiritual "War Eeytewed ; 
oe, Satan Vanquished. 

I have fought a good fight : —Henceforth there is laid "up for me a 
crown of Righteousness." — 2 Tim. iv: 7, 8._ 

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ."—! Cor.xvr 57. 



I. 



" From the day 
He first set foot on earth — of rancor full, 
And pride, and hate, and malice, and revenge, 
He set himself with most felonious aim 
And hellish perseverance, to root out 
All good, and in its place to plant all ill ; 
To rub and raze from all created things 
The fair and holy portraiture divine, 
And on them to enstamp his features grim ; 
To draw all creatures off from loyalty 
To their Creator, and to make them how 
The knee to him.' , 

" These are ruins indeed; but they proclaim that something noble hath 
fallen into ruin, — proclaim it by signs mournful yet venerable, like the des- 
olations of an ancient temple — like the broken walls, and falling columns, 
and hollow sounds of decay, that sink down heavily among its deserted 
recesses." — Dewey. 



I. 



MANSOUL TAKEN BY THE ENEMY; 

OR 

MAN IN HIS PRIMAL INNOCENCE AND PALL. 

" God hath made man upright." — Ec. vii : 29. 
<{ All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." — Rom. iii : 23. 

TN Bunyan's other great allegory — the Pilgrim's 
Progress — we have the Christian life repre- 
sented tinder the figure of a journey, and the 
pilgrim is conducted through a great variety of 
incidents from his native City of Destruction, to 
Mount Zion, the City of God. In the Holy War 
the same subject is presented in a military view. 
Man is here figured under the simile of a town, 
which, from a state of great prosperity, is subdued 



16 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; on 

by a mortal enemy, after which, it is besieged by 
its lawful Sovereign, — re-taken, and eventually re- 
stored to something approaching its first beauty. 

With such a work before us, so full of beauty, so 
suggestive of truth, and so practical in all its teach- 
ings, we can but cherish the fullest confidence in 
its adaptation as a means not only of interesting, 
but of instructing all who may accompany us in our 
attempt to unfold its meaning. Let us, then, enter 
upon its study. 

The structure and order of the narrative lead 
us, first, to view the original splendor of the town 
of Mansoul, while under the dominion of Shaddai, 
together with the cunning devices of Diabolus, 
which resulted in its criminal subjection to his 
power. The book opens with the imaginary jour- 
neyings of its author through a famous country, 
where he chanced to fall upon a fair and delicate 
town called MansouL— " A town, for its building 
so curious, for its situation so commodious, for its 
privileges so advantageous — I mean with reference 
to its original— that I may say of it, there is not 
its equal under the whole heaven. As to the situ- 



Man ix his Primal Innocence and Pall. 17 

ation of this town, it lieth between the two worlds : 
and the first founder and builder of it, so far as by 
the best and most authentic records I can gather, 
was one Shaddai ; and he built it for his own 
delight. He made it the mirror and glory of all 
that he had made, even the top-piece, beyond any- 
thing else that he did in that country. Yea, so 
goodly a town was Mansoul, when first built, that 
it is said by some, the gods, at the setting up 
thereof, came down to see it, and sung for joy. 
And as he made it goodly to behold, so also, 
mighty, to have dominion over all the country 
round about. Yea, all were commanded to acknow- 
ledge Mansoul for their metropolitan, all were 
enjoined to do homage to it. Aye, the town itself 
had positive commission and power from her king, 
to demand service of all, and also to subdue those 
that any-ways denied it." 

In this description of the town of Mansoul, we 
have a truthful and beautiful portraiture of man in 
his state of Primal Innocence. God created him 
upright, fashioning the soul after his own moral 
image, and giving for its tenantry a body " fear- 



18 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; ob 

fully and wonderfully made." Hence, to higher 
intelligences, when contemplating the divine work, 
man is represented as appearing of first conse- 
quence, and when the foundations of the earth were 
laid for his abode, " the morning stars sang togeth- 
er, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." 

The author of this marvellous, moral, and physi- 
cal creation is here spoken of under the appropri- 
ate title of Shaddai, one of the Hebrew names of 
God, signifying — the pourer forth, the source of 
existence, the all-sufficient, and generally translated 
in the Old Testament, Almighty. In this town 
of Mansoul, Shaddai, it is said, reserved for himself 
" a most famous and stately palace," allusion being 
evidently had to man's soul. And very fitly does 
Bunyan employ this figure to set forth its noble 
capacities, and to exhibit the undoubted claim of 
its only rightful owner and occupant. But while 
Shaddai made this noble place his garrison, we are 
told that the keeping of it was committed entirely 
lo " the men of the town that is, the conscience, 
the will, the understanding, and the affections, in the 
exercise of their respective offices, were left to main- 



Man in his Peimal Innocence and Fall. 19 

tain a guard against the assaults of those powerful 
foes that seek to invade the soul in defiance of God's 
authority, and to the utter exclusion of the Divine 
presence. And though such a defence was exceed- 
ingly formidable, indeed, absolutely invulnerable 
so long as consistently maintained, the sequel 
shows that it was not proof against the powerful 
attacks to which it was exposed. In the walls of 
the town there were "five gates," and through these 
the enemy, it is said, looked for special advantage. 

The allusion here, as the marginal note explains, 
is to the five senses. While these are carefully 
guarded, it must be a difficult thing for any enemy 
to invade the town, or harm the garrison, but alas ! 
if "by the will and leave of those within," an en- 
trance be once effected, the result can but be most 
disastrous. 

Thus it was, that in the beginning, the soul 
forfeited its honor, and sacrificed its dignity and 
peace, so that almost the first thing recorded of 
man is his voluntary and disgraceful fall from his 
holiness and integrity, into sin and rebellion. 

To this sad event in human history, Bunyan 



20 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

refers in the very next feature of the allegory. — 
Upon a certain time, he tells us, there was one 
Diabolus, a mighty giant, who made an assault upon 
this famous town, to take it and make it his own 
habitation, so with his wicked confederates, " rang- 
ing in much fury from place to place," he came, at 
last, upon Mansoul, and calling a council of war, 
began to meditate in what way and method they 
should attempt its capture. And these four things 
were then propounded to be considered — 

" First. — Whether they had best, all of them, 
show themselves in this design to the town of 
Mansoul. 

Secondly. — Whether they had best go and sit 
down against Mansoul, in their now ragged and 
beggarly guise. 

Thirdly. — Whether they had best show to Man- 
soul their intentions, and what design they came 
about ; or, whether to assault it with words and 
ways of deceit. 

Fourthly. — Whether they had not best give out 
private orders to some of their companions, to take 
the advantage, if they see one or more of the prin- 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Pall. 21 

cipal townsmen, to shoot them ; if, thereby, they 
shall judge their cause and design will the better 
be promoted." 

In the grave discussion of these propositions, it 
was concluded to be wisest, that but few, or but 
one should assault Mansoul at a time, lest, taking 
the alarm, and assuming an attitude of defence, ' M 
should be impossible to capture the town, since 
" none could enter it without its own consent." It 
was also deemed impolitic to appear before the 
town in their true and proper guise, lest by such a 
repulsive spectacle, they should "put them into a 
consternation of spirit and necessitate them to put 
themselves upon their guard." It was farther 
decided, that they had better conceal their real 
design, and assault the town in all pretended fair- 
ness, covering their intentions with all manner of 
lies ; feigning things that never would be, and 
promising the men that which they never should 
find ; and by such means induce them to opea their 
gates, yea, and even to desire and invite them in, 

And among the reasons assigned in support of 
this course, were these, — that the people of Man- 



22 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

soul were then, " every one, simple and innocent, 
all honest and true : nor do they, as yet, know what 
it is to be assaulted with fraud, guile, and hypoc- 
risy. They are strangers to lying and dissembling 
lins ; wherefore, we cannot, if thus we be disguised, 
by them at all be discerned ; our lies shall go for 
true sayings, and our dissimulations, for upright 
dealings. What we promise them, they will in 
that believe us, especially, if in all our lies and 
feigned words we pretend great love to them, and 
that our design is only their advantage and honor." 
In this policy, therefore, they all cordially united, 
or as Bunyan quaintly expresses it — " it went as 
current down as doth the water down a steep 
descent." 

And, finally, coming to the fourth proposition, it 
was determined to destroy, if possible, by some 
stratagem, some of the principal men of the town, 
especially one Mr. Resistance, whom, it is said, 
"Diabolus and his band more feared than they 
feared the whole town of Mansoul besides." And 
accordingly, one Tisiphone, a fury of the lake, was 
especially deputed to accomplish his murder. 



Max ix his Peimal Ixxocfxce aiw Fali . 23 

u Thus, having ended their council of Avar, thej 
rose up and essayed to do as they had determined. 
They marched towards Mansoul, but all in a man- 
ner invisible, save one, only one ; nor did he 
approach in his own likeness, but under the shape, 
and in the body of the Dragon. So they drew up 
and sat down before Ear Gate, for that was the 
place for hearing for all without the town, as Eye 
Gate was the place of perspeetion." 

But what, you are ready to ask, is the meaning 
of all this ? Let us try to unfold it. The history 
of evil in our world dates back to the treacherous 
devices of Satan in Paradise. There was developed 
that hellish plot, by which the grand Deceiver, the 
great Adversary of God and man, here styled 
Diabolus, sought to destroy our allegiance with 
Jehovah, to blast our fairest prospects, to fill our 
world with untold woe, and to people perdition 
with the souls of the lost. 

With the inspired narrative of this fearful trans* 
action, we are all, doubtless, familiar. But while 
familiar with the fall as an admitted Bible record, 
and as a fact in our own experience, involving us 



24 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; ob 

in a condition, out of which, we cannot raise oar- 
selves, do we not sometimes detect within us a 
lurking feeling of scepticism suggesting a doubt 
of the verity of the record, and, especially, as con- 
nected with the Tempter's personality? Now, 
without an argument for the truth of the whole 
narrative of the fall, it will be seen that that part 
of the allegory immediately before us, naturally 
leads to an inquiry touching the question of Satan's 
existence. Is there, then, such an intelligence or 
being as the Devil ? Who, we would ask, professing 
to give any credit to the truth of Revelation, can, 
for a moment, doubt it ? "What, for instance, is the 
import and evident meaning of that passage, in the 
second Epistle of Peter, which acquaints us with 
the fact, that " God spared not the angels that 
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered 
them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto 
judgment V Or, what are we to understand by 
the similar record found in the Epistle of Jude, 
which informs us that " the angels which kept not 
their first estate, but left their own habitation, He 
hath reserved in everlasting chains, under dark- 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Fall. 25 

ness, unto the judgment of the great day ?" The 
chief or leader of this infernal host is Satan, whose 
subtlety, and power, and influence are represented 
in the Scriptures as being appallingly great. He 
is variously described, as " the Prince of the Power 
of the air," as " the god -of this world," and as an 
Adversary who, like " a roaring lion, walketh about, 
seeking whom he may devour." Such representa- 
tions are clearly opposed to the notion that we are 
merely to understand by the Devil, a " symbolical 
personage," or " the principle of Evil personified." 
Nor can such a view, by any possibility, be recon- 
ciled with any consistent principle of biblical 
interpretation. 

Now the power and influence of this arch-fiend, 
as we have just said, is described as appallingly 
great ; — all his cruel and crafty efforts being employ- 
ed to tempt, to betray, to destroy, and to involve us 
in guilt and ruin. Hence, that he may be defeated in 
his purpose, we are again and again admonished to 
-arm ourselves for a steadfast and constant resist- 
ance. The proof of our great Enemy's duplicity is 
strikingly presented in the counsels adopted with 



26 Mansoul taken by the Exemy ; or 

reference to the siege of Mansoul, and the eviden- 
ces of his power were fully and fearfully revealed 
in its assault and capture. It is this feature of the 
allegory that next claims our attention. 

" So, as I said/' continues our author, " he came 
up with his train to the gate, and laid his ambus- 
cade for Captain Resistance, within bow-shot of the 
town. This done, the giant ascended up close to 
the gate, and called to the town of Mansoul for 
audience. Nor took he any with him but one 111 
pause, who was his orator in all difficult matters 
Now, as I said, he being* come up to the gate (as 
the manner of those times was,) sounded his 
trumpet for audience \ at which, the chief of the 
town of Mansoul, such as my Lord Innocent, *my 
Lord Will-be-will, my Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder, 
and Captain Resistance, came down to the wall, to 
see who was there, and what was the matter* And 
my Lord Will-be-will, when he looked over, and 
saw who stood at the gate, demanded what he was ? 
and wherefore he was come, and why he roused the 
town of Mansoul with so unusual a sound/ 7 

Diabolus, then, as if he had been a lamb, began 



Man in his Peimal Innocence and Fall. 27 

his oration and said, in substance, " I am come to 
show you how you may obtain great and ample 
deliverance from a bondage that, unawares to your- 
selves, you are captivated and enslaved under." 
At this the town of Mansoul began to prick up its 
ears. " And what is it ? pray what is it ?" thought 
they. And he said, " I have something to say to 
you concerning your King, concerning his law 
and also, touching yourselves. Touching your 
King, I know he is great and potent ; but yet, all 
that he has said to you is neither true, nor yet for 
your advantage. * * * * * 

" Why should you be holden in ignorance and 
blindness ? Why should you not be enlarged in 
knowledge and understanding ? And now, ye 
inhabitants of the famous town of Mansoul, to speak 
more particularly to yourselves, ye are not a free 
people : ye are kept both in bondage and slavery, 
and that by a grievous threat, no reason being 
annexed, but, so I will have it, so it shall be. And 
is it not grievous to think on, that the very thing 
you are forbidden to do, might you but do it, would 
yield you both wisdom and honor ? for then your 



28 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

eyes will be opened, and you shall be as gods. 
Now, since this is thus, quoth he, can you be kept 
by any prince in more slavery, and in greater bond- 
age than you are under this day ? You are made 
underlings, and are wrapt up in inconveniences, 
as I have well made appear : for what bondage 
greater than to be kept in blindness ? Will not 
reason tell you that it is better to have eyes, than 
to be without them ? and that to be at liberty, is 
better than to be shut up in a dark and stinking 
cave.' 7 

Now, while listening to this impious but plausi- 
ble speech, Captain Resistance received a mortal 
wound in the head, and fell dead, quite over the 
wall. Upon the discovery of this, Mansoul, it is 
said, lost all courage, and had no heart farther to 
resist. So, following up the advantage, Mr. Ill- 
pause, whom Diabolus had brought with him, pro- 
ceeded to endorse the views presented by his mas- 
ter, and in a bantering tone, urged the people of 
Mansoul fearlessly to disregard the restrictions 
which Shaddai had made the test of their obedi- 
ence. And while he was thus speaking, my Lord 



Man in his Peimal Innocence and Fall. 29 

Innocency, it is said, (" whether by a shot from the 
camp of the giant, or from some qualm that sud- 
denly took him, or whether by the stinking breath 
of that treacherous villain old Ill-pause, for so I am 
most apt to think,") sunk down in the place where 
he stood, nor could he be brought to life again. 
Thus these two brave men died ; " brave men I 
call them," says Bunyan, "for they were the beauty 
and glory of Mansoul, so long as they lived there- 
in." And now, the rest of the townfolks, to prove 
the truth of the giant's words, took of the forbidden 
fruit and did eat, and having eaten, they became 
immediately so drunken that they opened the 
gates of the town, and the hosts of Diabolus poured, 
in upon them like a flood. 

! what a vivid and faithful representation is 
this of that cunning device of Satan, by which our 
first parents were tempted to that sin which 

" Brought death into the world and all our woe." 

And here we have suggested too, the true cause 
of that apostacy, as well as the ground of our per- 
sonal peril — dalliance with the tempter. When 



30 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

resistance to the suggestions of Satan failed in our 
first mother, and she parleyed with a proposal 
which ought to have been promptly and indig- 
nantly rejected, — it was to her an ill-pause, result- 
ing in consequences beyond her ability to retrieve. 
An old and excellent writer has well said — " If you 
would not be foiled by temptation, do not enter 
into a dispute with Satan. When Eve began to 
argue the case with the serpent, the serpent was 
too hard for her ; the Devil, by his logic, disputed 
her out of Paradise. Satan can mince sin, make it 
small, and make it look like virtue. Satan is too 
subtle a sophist to hold an argument with. Dis- 
pute not, but fight. If you enter into a parley 
with Satan, you give him half the victory." And 
Bunyan, in one of his quaint poems, gives us this 
stirring admonition — 

Sin will at first, just like a beggar, crave 

One penny, or one half-penny to have : 

But if you grant its first suit, 'twill aspire, 

From pence to pounds, and still will mount up higher 

To the whole soul. Then, if it makes its moan, 

Say, " Here is nothing for you — get you gone !" 

For, if you give it entrance at the door, 

It will come in, and may go out no more. 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Pall. 31 

Yes, only let a man,. when assailed by the power of 
our spiritual adversary, forget that divine command 
which enjoins resistance, and consent, for a time, to 
listen to that seductive voice which seeks to sub- 
vert and destroy his innocency, and, soon, he will 
find himself utterly estranged from God, and his 
whole nature a fearful prey to the craft and cruel 
malice of the enemy. 

Nor is such a tendency, on our part, to yield to 
these influences a mere contingency. On the con- 
trary, we recognize it as a direct result, flowing 
from the first apostacy. 

There are those we know who profess to believe 
that men, as they now come into the world, are in 
the same moral state in which the first man was 
created — who boldly affirm that human nature has 
not been changed by the fall of Adam ; who hold, 
that every man starts in life entirely disconnected 
with the past, and that the corrupt tendencies 
which he exhibits have their rise entirely in a 
wrong education, and from the influences which 
flow from a bad state of society. 

Now, this theory of man which admits of no uni- 



32 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

tary life, but " cuts the thread of history from 
behind us every hour," and resolves the human 
family into a state of extreme individualism, we 
conceive to be as contrary to the teachings of our 
personal consciousness, as it is to the facts of history, 
and the more positive testimony of revelation. 
Let cavillers say what they will, we firmly believe 
that we have powerful, innate, irresistible tenden- 
cies to sin, which neither the influence of educa- 
tion, nor the force of virtuous example are able to 
correct, and under the sway of which we are often 
obliged to acknowledge our utter impotency to 
good and our perverse inclination to evil. Ah ! yes, 
there is some mighty power standing behind our 
personal volitions, and bending, and swaying our 
faculties at its will, so that, in the language of 
Paul, — no longer a paradox, we are forced to ex- 
claim, " What I would that do I not, hut what I hate 
that I do" And in the language of an eloquent 
writer, " What is the meaning of all this, unless it 
be that this sea of being, out of which we rise like 
bubbles out of some mighty deep, has its under- 
tides and currents, whose force and swell have in- 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Fall. 33 

creased from remote generations, and they break 
into our consciousness, and we tremble with their 
motions and struggle against the downward rush 
of the waves !" 

But, to return to the allegory, Diabolus having 
gained an entrance into Mansoul, we are next led 
to notice the wicked policy by which he sought to 
establish himself in power ; and, first of all, he 
took possession of the castle, after which, he " put 
out of place and power" the Lord Mayor, Mr. Un- 
derstanding, and Mr. Conscience, the Recorder. 
By these steps he thought to rid himself of the two 
persons whose influence he feared would be most 
formidable against his authority. And, indeed, 
especially with reference to the latter, his appre- 
hensions were well founded, " because, though he 
gave his consent to his coming into the town, yet 
he could not, by all wiles, trials, stratagems, and 
devices that he could use, make him wholly his 
own. True, he was much degraded from his former 
King, and also, much pleased with many of the 
giant's laws, and with his service ; but all this 
would not do, forasmuch as he was not wholly his. 



34 Mansoul taken by the Enemy : or 

He would now and then think upon Shaddai, and 
have dread of his law upon him, and then he would 
speak with a voice as great against Diabolus as 
when a lion roareth : yea, and would also, at cer- 
tain times, when his fits were upon him, (for you 
must know that, sometimes, he had terrible fits,) 
make the whole town of Mansoul shake with his 
voice ; and, therefore, the new King of Mansoul 
could not abide him. 77 

Since, therefore, he could not make him wholly 
his own, what does he do but debauch him, in order 
to stupify his mind, and harden his heart in the 
ways of vanity. But this was the farthest that he 
could go. 

" Wherefore he bethinks himself of another pro- 
ject, and that was, to persuade the men of the town 
that Mr. Eecorder was mad, and so not to be 
regarded. And for this he urged his fits, and said, 
if he be himself, why doth he not do thus always ? 
But, quoth he, all mad folks have their fits, and in 
them raving language ; so hath this old and doat- 
ing gentleman. Thus by one means or other he 
quickly got Mansoul to slight, neglect, and despise 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Fall. 35 

whatever Mr. Recorder could say. Besides, he 
would, at one time, be hot against that about 
which, at another, he would hold his peace, so un- 
even was he now in his doings. Sometimes he 
would be as if fast asleep, and again sometimes as 
dead, even then when the whole town of Mansoul 
was in her career after vanity. Wherefore, some- 
times, when Mansoul did use to be frighted with 
the thundering voice of the Recorder that was, and 
when they did tell Diabolus of it, he would answer, 
that what the old gentleman said was neither out 
of love to him, nor pity to them, but of a foolish 
fondness that he had to be prating ; and so would 
hush, still, and put all to quiet again." 

Did ever human pen more eloquently and graph- 
ically sketch the dreadful influence of sin in the 
heart, and its power over the understanding and the 
conscience ! The heart of fallen man, signified by 
the castle, is in the possession of Satan,, the under- 
standing is wholly perverted, and the conscience is 
so abased that its counsels are, at best, but uncer- 
tain and fitful. Indeed, instead of regarding it as 
their truest and most faithful friend, the majority 



36 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 

of men are found treating it as though it were a 
positive and dangerous enemy — wishing it often- 
times " a thousand miles off." 

But happy for us, though very unequal, the 
power of conscience cannot easily be destroyed. 
It will sometimes speak, yea, roar aloud, testifying 
for God and against sin. And if, fellow man, 
this voice now speaks to you ; heed, we beseech you, 
its warnings, lest, at last, its awful suggestions 
drive you to despair. 

" 0, give it leave to speak , 'twill speak ere long, 
Thy leave unasked, — hear it now, 
While useful its advice, its accent mild. 5 

As regards my Lord Will-be -will, he, it seems, 
scorned to be a slave in Mansoul, heartily espoused 
the cause of Diabolus, and was made principal gov-, 
ernor of the town. The completeness of his 
apostacy may be inferred from his subsequent 
guilty and perfidious course. Not only did he deny 
all allegiance to his former Prince, swearing fidel- 
ity to his great master, Diabolus, but he even 
turned against his old associates, Mr. Understand 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Pall. 37 

ing and Mr. Conscience, and brought himself 
down to companionship with all the vile and the 
base. 

By the title and description of this personage, 
Bunyan evidently alludes to the human will, or that 
governing power of the soul which constitutes the 
basis of our free agency. And inasmuch as the 
natural will is not subject to the law of God, but 
obstinately opposed to it, we have it here most 
fitly represented as in league with the Adversary, 
and as stooping to give countenance to all our vain 
thoughts and carnal lusts. 

And now it will be observed, the designs of this 
wicked giant on Mansoul were well nigh accom- 
plished ; nothing, indeed, remained for him to do 
but to destroy, wherever found, the image of Shad- 
dai, setting up his own in its stead, and to orga- 
nize a new government, and build for himself a few 
additional defences. Accordingly, with all possi- 
ble despatch the work was brought to a completion. 
The image of the blessed King Shaddai was basely 
defaced from the market-place, and from the gates 
of the castle ; the hideous likeness of Diabolus 



38 Mansoul taken by the Exemy ; or 

being put in its stead ; Lord Lustings was ap- 
pointed Mayor, and Forget-good was made Record- 
er, while such men as Mr. Incredulity, Mr. 
Haughty, Mr. Swearing, Mr. Pitiless, Mr. False- 
peace, Mr. Cheating, Mr. Atheism, and others 
like them, were elected as burgesses, aldermen, 
councilmen, and constables. After this, for special 
defenses, Diabolus built three strong holds, that 
seemed to be impregnable, and placed them in 
charge of such governors as, in any emergency, 
would be sure to make them serve his interests. 

" And now, Diabolus thought himself safe. He 
had taken Mansoul ; he had ingarrisoned himself 
therein ; he had put down the old officers, and set 
up new ones ; he had defaced the image of Shad- 
dai, and had set up his own ; he had spoiled the 
old law books, and had promoted his own vain lies ; 
he had made him magistrates, and set up new 
aldermen ; he had built his new holds and had 
manned them for himself. And . all this he did to 
make himself secure, in case the good Shaddai, or 
his Son should come to make an incursion upon 
him." 



Man in his Primal Innocence and Fall. 39 
Thus has Satan fixed his empire in the soul ; 
thus, through his wicked machinations, has the un- 
derstanding been darkened, the conscience de- 
bauched, the will perverted, the image of God 
defaced, and the whole moral nature of man cor- 
rupted. ! what an awful but accurate picture is 
here sketched then, of the human heart brought 
completely under the influence and rule of sin ! 
Who can contemplate it without feelings of the 
deepest humiliation and grief ? And who, especi- 
ally, can view it as setting forth his own moral 
likeness, — as discovering the very lineaments of his 
own depraved heart, without exclaiming, in deep 
self-abasement > — " God he merciful to me a sinner /" 
Ah! yes, it is a true picture, sketched by a 
master hand, of our wretched and guilty condition 
as set forth in the Word of Truth, and as more 
fully revealed by the Spirit, to every believer, 
through a knowledge of the law. And this, fellow- 
sinner, is your fearful state. You are " carnal, 
sold under sin." You are " led captive by Satan at 
his will." And yet, blessed be God ! you need not 
despair ; there is a way provided for your deliver- 



40 Mansoul taken by the Enemy ; or 
ance. A great price has been paid for your 
ransom; and depending upon the influences of 
divine grace, in this very hour, you may be brought 
to enjoy " the liberty -wherewith Christ hath made 
as free." 



II. 



Ian far % gUcoforg of gjmtsaul 



Eternal love, 
Eternal, sovereign love, and sovereign grace, 
Wisdom, and power, and mercy infinite, 
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God, 
Devised the wondrous plan — devised, achieve-.! ; 
And in achieving made the marvel more. 

* * * * God was made flesh, 
And dwelt with man on earth ! the Son of God, 
Only begotten, and well beloved, between 
Men and his Father's justice interposed 
Put human nature on ; His wrath sustained ; 
And in their name suffered, obeyed, and died. 

" The Spiritual restoration and regeneration of the world ; in other 
words, the establishment of a reign of God in the human soul, forms the 
true idea of the personal ministry of Christ, the true idea of his life, the true 
idea of his death. 15 — Young's " Christ or History." 



II. 



A PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY OF MAXSOUL; 



" For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy 



LASSIC mythology exhibits one of its heroes ; 



when wrecked upon a rock in the ocean, as 
angry with the gods, and defiantly shaking his 
clenched hand at heaven. With the same spirit, 
though in a prouder position, Satan, after his tri- 
umph, may be imagined as standing for a while in 
Paradise. He had accomplished his hellish pur- 
pose. He had not only marred the w T orks of God, 
but blasted the hopes of man, and now, having full 



OR, 



THE GEEAT REDEMPTION. 



the works of the devil." — John iii : 9. 




44 A Plan for the Recovery of Mansoul; 

possession of the field, he laughs at heaven, and 

presumes to challenge its power* 

Man in his apostacy from God, as we endeavored 

to show in the preceding lecture, entered into a 
covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, 
and having cast off the divine authority, he became 
an abject vassal of the Prince of Darkness. And 
though we believe the Almighty might justly have 
left the sinner to reap the fearful fruit of his rebel- 
lion, He has been pleased, in his infinite mercy, to 
make known a way for his recovery and reconcilia- 
tion. This plan in its eternal origin and partial 

DEVELOPMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE WICKED MALICE OF 
SATAN AS EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPLISH ITS DEFEAT, Con- 
stitutes the basis of that suggestive portion of the 
Holy War to which, in the present lecture, we 
invite your attention. 

When the intelligence respecting the revolt and 
loss of Mansoul was carried to King Shaddai, it 
occasioned in his court, we are told, no little sor* 
row. And yet, says Bunyan, " The King and his 
Son foresaw all this long before, yea, and sufficiently 
provided for the relief of Mansoul, and in such a 



or, The Great Redemption. 45 

way as that both the King and his Son would get 
themselves eternal fame and glory thereby." The 
provision was this, " that, at a certain time prefixed 
by both, the King's Son should take a journey into 
the country of Universe ; and there in a way of 
justice and equity, by making of amends for the 
follies of Mansoul, he should lay a foundation for 
her perfect deliverance from Diabolus, and from his 
tyranny. " Moreover, Immanuel resolved to make, 
at a time convenient, a war upon the giant Diabo- 
lus, and even while he was possessed of the town 
of Mansoul ; and that he would fairly, by strength 
of hand, drive him out of his hold, his nest, and 
take it to himself to be his habitation." 

Here, then, we have a clear recognition of the 
eternal origin of that scheme of Mercy which is 
revealed in the gospel, — revealed, we say, because 
it was devised long before it was made known, just 
as it was promised long before it was actually 
accomplished. Now, we are not of those who limit 
the knowledge of the Almighty, by supposing that 
the apostacy was a contingency which He did not 
foresee ; for, with such a view, we should be com- 



46 A Plan for the Recovery of Mansoul ; 

pelled to acknowledge the validity of that objection 
sometimes urged against the Atonement, on the 
ground that the doctrine involves a change of pur- 
pose in the mind of Deity. So far removed are we 
from this notion, however, that we believe the love 
of God was from everlasting, and consequently, that 
the wonderful plan of human redemption, as un- 
folded in the Scriptures, had its origin long anterior 
to the fall. Indeed, so we read, for says the Apos- 
tle, guided by the Holy Ghost, " God hath from 
the beginning chosen you to salvation. v A truth 
yet more explicitly declared in the same Epistle, 
when he denominates this amazing scheme of Mer- 
cy an " ETERNAL PURPOSE." 

And how, it may be asked, was that purpose of 
Mercy manifested ? And what were the features 
of that gracious scheme by which God was to be 
honored, and Christ glorified in the salvation of 
the guilty ? The answers to these questions are 
found in such declarations of the Gospel as these — 
"For God so loved the world, that -He gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." 



or, The Great Redemption. 47 

" Who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus 
Christ ; — For He hath made him to be sin for us, 
who knew no sin ; that we might be made the 
righteousness of God in him." 

But before this gracious arrangement was yet 
made known to the inhabitants of earth, it excited 
the most intense wonder and joy among the hosts 
of heaven ; for when that awful crisis came, which 
marked the triumph of our adversary, and the fall 
of man, how unexpected and cheering was that 
voice which came from the most excellent glory, 
saving, " Deliver him from going down to the pit, 
for I have found a ransom.' 7 And, how thrilling 
the spectacle, when, ready both to satisfy and 
suffer for the guilty, Jesus interposes, saying, 
" Here am I, send me." It is by this substitution, 
where ail had else been death, that grace now 
reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. 

When contemplating this amazing exhibition of 
divine love and justice, who can help exclaiming, 
with the Apostle, " Great is the mystery of godli- 
ness, — God manifest in the flesh !" ! wonderful 
provision, for, lo ! while the sinner is pardoned his 



48 A Plan for the Recovery of Mansoul ; 

sins are punished, " and, as we have seen a dis- 
charged account pierced by a nail, and hung to 
gather cobwebs on the dusty wall, he who paid our 
debt, nor left us one farthing to pay, has taken the 
hand- writing that was against us and nailed it to 
his cross." 

When these tidings were first made known, they 
were hailed with unutterable joy by those who 
were attached to Shaddai's court, while they occa- 
sioned the greatest distress and anxiety to Dia- 
bolus. But, " after a few casts in his mind," he 
concluded first, to keep this good news, if possible, 
from the ears of Mansoul, and, in order to accom- 
plish this, " he renews his flattery with my Lord 
Will-be-will, giving him charge to keep watch by 
day and by night at all the gates of the town, but 
especially Ear Gate, and Eye Gate." Moreover, he 
was to suppress all rumors, and to destroy all that 
should be found plotting against his government. 
And, fearing that this might not be enough, Diabo- 
lus imposed upon all the townsfolk a new and 
horrible covenant ; to wit, " that they should never 
desert him, nor his government, nor yet betray 



or, The Great Redemption. 49 

him, nor seek to alter his laws ; but that they 
should own, confess, stand by, and acknowledge 
him for their rightful King, in defiance to any that 
do, or hereafter shall, by any pretence, law or title 
whatever, lay claim to the town of Mansoul." And 
that they might be yet more degraded, and, there- 
fore, the better fitted for fulfilling this covenant, 
they received from one Mr. Filth, an odious and 
lascivious paper, licensing them to do whatsoever 
their lustful appetites prompted them to do, with- 
out let or hindrance. 

By such means Diaboius sought to destroy any 
hope of Mercy that Mansoul might secretly indulge 
from him against whom it had rebelled ; yea, and 
he was even foolish enough to imagine that, seeing 
the aggravation of their guilt, Immanuel might yet 
repent of his purpose, and break the covenant into 
which He had entered for effecting their redemp- 
tion. But fearing lest all these devices might fail, 
he endeavored to forestal things, by exciting their 
fears and filling their minds with false and wicked 
apprehensions respecting Shaddai's designs, assert- 
ing that whatever He might say, his real purpose 



50 A Plan for the Recovery of Maxsoul 

was to make them the trophies of his merciless 
victory, " Come, therefore/ 7 says he, " to my castle 
and harness yourselves for the war." 

It is in this way, that Satan wickedly seeks to 
subvert the grace of God, and to maintain his 
accursed rule over the souL His first object is to 
keep men in ignorance of the divine Mercy j 
blinding their minds, " lest the light of the glo- 
rious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God f 
should shine unto theni." And to insure this the 
rebellious will is incited to vigorous efforts of 
resistance, and desperate purposes are sometimes 
formed to continue boldly in the ways of sin ; 
while influences from without are also brought into 
use to fill the heart with sensuality, or overwhelm 
it with fear, and thus cut off all hope of its 
recovery. 

It is in this way that Satan prepares men to go 
forth, at length, clad in an armor well nigh invin- 
cible, and which Bunyan well describes as consist- 
mg y first, of an helmet, or head piece, by which we 
are to understand a vain hope of doing well at last, 
whatever may be the manner of our lives ; second, 



' or, The Great Redemption. 51 

a breast plate, made of iron, which is nothing less 
than a hard heart, a heart as hard as iron, and as 
much past feeling as a stone ; third, a sword, or a 
tongue set on fire of hell, and that can bend itself 
to speak evil of all that is good ; fourth, a shield, or 
wicked unbelief, cherishing which, they can resist 
alike all the invitations, all the threatenings, and 
all the promises of God's word ; and fifth, a dumb 
and prayerless spirit, a spirit that scorns to cry for 
mercy, which nourishes sin in the soul, and seals 
the lips with pride. This is the whole armour of 
Satan, and what an ingenious but fearful panoply 
it is for sheltering men from the shafts of truth, 
and rendering them impervious to conviction ! 
Yet this is actually the spiritual armor with 
which the Devil too often succeeds in harnessing 
his captives. And, if not with all, with one or 
more of these devices the majority of impenitent 
men are striving, but too successfully, to resist the 
reproofs and gracious appeals so often made to 
them in the Gospel. 

But, while the subtle devices of the enemy for 
maintaining his hold are numerous and most formi- 



52 A Plan for the Recovery of Mansoul ; 

dable, so that, like " a strong man armed he keepeth 
his palace," there is, as our blessed Redeemer 
taught, " a stronger than he, that shall come upon 
him, and overcome him, and take from him all his 
armor wherein he trusted." 

As suggested, then,, by the next feature of the 
allegory, we pass to notice some of the means 
which divine wisdom is pleased to employ to defeat 
this wicked adversary, and wrest from his grasp 
his deluded victims. 

Having made known his purpose to assault and 
recover Mansoul, we immediately read that good 
King Shaddai collected an army, consisting of 
above forty thousand men, whom he placed under 
the conduct of four stout Generals, named Boaner- 
ges, Conviction, Judgment, and Execution. And 
when these forces were mustered under their 
respective Captains, each division bearing its 
appropriate ensign, the King gave to the command- 
ers their several commissions, charging them in 
the audience of all the soldiers that they should 
take heed faithfully and courageously to maintain 
their allegiance, and carry out his designs. They 



or, The Great Eedemption. 53 

were first to offer to the town conditions of peace, 
but, if these were rejected, they were then to 
make use of all their " might and force to bring 
them under by strength of hand. 77 So, with flying 
colors, they set forward to march towards the 
famous town of Mansoul, and, coming up to Ear 
Gate, they pitched their tents, and after entrench- 
ing themselves, began at once to make ready for 
an assault. 

The imposing aspect of these gallant forces with 
their excellent discipline and glittering armor, 
made an impression on the people of Mansoul 
which Diabolus greatly feared might result in the 
opening of the gates, and the surrender of the 
town. He reproves them, therefore, for looking 
upon them with anything like complacency, and 
sternly reminds them that they should rather have 
given the whole town " an alarm concerning them, 
that they might all have been in a posture of 
defence, and been ready to have received them 
with the highest acts of defiance. 77 "Fie, fie, 77 
says he, " put yourselves into a posture of defence, 
beat up the drum, gather together in warlike man- 



54 A Plan for the Recovery of Mansotjl ; 

per, that our foes may know that before they shall 
conquer this corporation, there are valiant men in 
Mansoul." 

" Xow," says Bunyan, " were the townsmen 
strangely altered ; they were as men stricken with 
a panic fear : they ran to and fro through the 
streets of the town of Mansoul. crying out, 'Help, 
help ! the men that turn the world upside-down are 
come hither also ;' nor could any of them be quiet 
after, but still, as men bereft of wit, they cried out, 
'The destroyers of our peace and people are come.' 
This went down with Diabolus. ' Aye !' quoth he 
to himself, 1 this I like well, now it is as I would 
have it ; now you show your obedience to your 
Prince, hold you but here, and then let them take 
the town if they can.' " 

Here, again, we have a striking illustration of 
Satan's vigilance and craft, in attempting to foil 
every effort put forth for the soul's recovery. 
And we have also suggested the prominent instru- 
mentality employed by God for advancing his 
amazing designs of Mercy. This instrumentality 
is the Gospel Ministry, and it is here appropriately 



or, The Great Redemption. 55 

indicated in the names given to Shaddai's four 
Captains ; — each title fitly representing a certain 
style of preaching, and designating a class of God's 
servants, whose faithful and powerful exhibitions 
of truth are eminently and variously useful in com- 
manding attention, in producing conviction, in 
warning of judgment, and in exhibiting the fearful 
doom of the finally impenitent. And it is by such 
means that the unconverted are usually awakened. 
True, God is often pleased, first, to reach the hearts 
of men, and subdue their enmity through the pow- 
er of his love, yet, there are few, if any, that are 
not beset as by " an army of forty thousand/' — dis- 
covering in almost every text of the divine Word, 
a shaft of truth which, entering the soul, produces 
a deep conviction 'of sin, of righteousness, and of a 
judgment to come. 

And well does Satan know this, hence, when his 
guilty subjects are thus approached by the heralds 
of salvation, he finds it necessary to rally their cou- 
rage, to excite their prejudice, to stir up their 
pride, and to rouse them to concerted and daring 
acts of resistance. 



56 A Plan foe the Recovery of Mansoul ; 

Such, impenitent man, is your history. Again and 
again has Jehovah, by his Word and Spirit, come 
nigh unio you, making you deeply sensible of 
guilt — pointing out your danger — proffering you 
his mercy, and threatening you with judgment ; 
but, alas ! amid it all, you have gone on hardening 
yourself in sin, and, as the sworn vassal of Satan, 
you have secretly and impiously said, " Who is the 
Lord that I should serve him ?" But through the 
long-suffering of God, you are still spared the right- 
eous infliction of his wrath. In the exercise of his 
amazing mercy, he stoops to win you to his love, 
and not willing that you should perish ; he even 
now beseeches you to come to him for life. Be 
persuaded, then, to pause at once in your career 
of guilt, consent to look your danger in the face ; 
and while you may, make haste to avert your im- 
pending doom. 0, lay hold on the hope set before 
you in the Gospel — even upon Christ Jesus, the 
only Name given under heaven and among men, 
whereby we can be saved. 



III. 



" He in the current of destruction stood 
And warned the sinner of his wo ; led on 
Imrnanuel's members in the ezil day ; 
And, with the everlasting arms embraced 
Himself around, stood in the dreadful front 
Of battle, high, and warred victoriously 
With death and hell." 

" No Ministry will be really effective, whatever may be its intelligence, 
which is not a Ministry of strong faith, true spirituality, and deep earnest- 
ness." — British Quarterly Review. 



III. 



MAXSOUL BESIEGED; 

OR, 

EARNEST AND EFFECTIVE PREACHING. 



gt Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my 
people their transgression.' 5 — Is a. Iviii : 1. 

i ( "^"OW there are diversities of gifts and when 
we glance over the history of the church, 
or call to mind some of the familiar names of God's 
honored ministers, how forcibly are we struck with, 
the truth of the Apostle's saying. Almost every 
man of character has a style of thought, and a 
peculiarity of manner, which as effectually distin- 
guishes him from others, as do the features of his 
countenance. And this variety, discoverable in 



60 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

the development of mental gifts, and even in the 
manifestation of spiritual graces, evidently has its 
adaptations to results "which a uniformity of talent 
would make most difficult to reach. 

The truth is, we are attracted to men by the law 
of affinity, and under the influence of this law it is 
found that those whose sentiments and modes of 
expression best suit our tastes are, of all others, 
most successful in commanding our attention. 

This principle holds good, especially with refer- 
ence to the ministry. The old adage, " like priest 
like people," while true, has its explanation, not 
simply in the moulding force of influence, but in 
the binding power of elective attraction, — men of 
similar views and feelings being naturally drawn 
into the same association and fellowship. 

Indeed, we might even go back of this, and dis- 
cover the principle to which we have referred as 
influencing the Divine Mind in the very appoint- 
ment of men to the office of the ministry. There 
is always an important connection between means 
and ends, and uniformly, in the government of 
God, we find these to be wisely adjusted. It is so 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 61 

here, and, as an eloquent Scotch divine has sug- 
gested, though every Sabbath morning the gates 
of heaven might have opened, and sent by God, on 
a mission worthy of seraphic fire, an Angel might 
have lighted down upon the sanctuary, and flying 
into the pulpit, might have taken up the wond- 
rous theme of Salvation and the Cross, yet, he could 
not have been so well fitted for the service as the 
messenger whom God has chosen, — a frail, dying, 
sinful man — one who is bone of your bone, and 
flesh of your flesh, and who, entering into sympa- 
thy with all your temptations and infirmities, is, on 
that very account, the better ambassador, just as 
Jesus, thereby, became the better Saviour, 

John Bunyan evidently had a clear apprehension 
of this view when, in the Holy War, he described 
Shaddai's four Captains under the titles of Boaner- 
ges, Conviction, Judgment, and Execution, These 
are the representatives of God's ministers, or 
rather, of prominent classes of ministers, whose 
peculiarities are here suggested by their appropri- 
ate and significant designations. Let us, then, 
glance at the characters of these Captains, and at 



62 Maxsoul Besieged ; or 

•the part taken by each in the great contest which 
was waged against the town of Mansoul. 

We closed our last lecture, it will be remem- 
bered, leaving the army of Shaddai encamped 
before the town, and preparing to make an assault 
upon one of its chief entrances. And we found 
Diabolus also actively engaged in stirring up the 
inhabitants to a desperate resistance. " Well/ 5 
says Bunyan, "before the King's forces had sat 
before Mansoul three days. Captain Boanerges 
commanded his trumpeter to go down to Ear Gate ; 
and there, in the name of the great Shaddai, to 
summon Mansoul to give audience to the message 
that he, in his Master's name, was commanded to 
deliver to them. So the trumpeter, whose name 
was Take-heed-what-you-hear, went up as he was 
commanded to Ear Gate, and there sounded his 
trumpet for a hearing : but there was none that 
appeared, that gave answer or regard, for so had 
Diabolus commanded. So the trumpeter returned 
to his Captain, and told him what he had done, and 
also, how he had sped ; whereat the Captain was 
grieved, but bid the trumpeter go to his tent. 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 63 

Again Captain Boanerges sendeth his trumpeter 
to Ear Gate, to sound as before for an hearing ; 

but they again kept close, came not out, nor would 
they give him an answer, so observant were they 
of the command of Diabolus their king." And 
when the same faithful trumpeter went a third 
time to Ear Gate, and with a yet more alarming 
summons, though he succeeded in arresting the 
attention of my Lord Will-be-will, the governor of 
the town, it was only to hear the message which he 
coolly proposed submitting to the consideration of 
Diabolus. But, said the trumpeter, it is not to the 
giant, but to the miserable town of Mansoul that I 
have come. " Nor," said he, farther, " shall we at 
all regard what answer by him is made, nor yet by 
any for him. We are sent to this town to recover 
it from under his cruel tyranny, and to persuade it 

to submit, as in former time it did, to the most 
excellent King Shaddai." " So Lord Will-be-will 
returned from off the wall, and the trumpeter came 
into the camp. v Then said the brave Boanerges, 
" Let us yet, for a while lie still in our trenches, and 
see what these rebels will do. * * * * And 



64: Mansoul Besieged ; or 

when the utmost time was come, Boanerges wag 
resolved to hear their answer ; wherefore, he sent 
out his trumpeter again to summon Mansoul to a 
hearing of the message that they had brought from 
Shaddai : so he went up and sounded, and the 
townsmen came up, but made Ear Gate as sure as 
they could. Now, when they were come up to the 
top of the wall, Captain Boanerges desired to see 
the Lord Mayor ; but my Lord Incredulity was 
then Lord Mayor, for he came in the room of my 
Lord Lustings ; so Incredulity came up and showed 
himself over the wall. But when the Captain 
Boanerges had set his eyes upon him, he cried out 
aloud, " This is not he ; where is my Lord Under- 
standing, the ancient Lord Mayor of the town of 
Mansoul ? for to him I would deliver my message." 
Then said the giant, (for Diabolus was also come 
down) to the Captain, — " Mr. Captain, you have, 
by your boldness, given to Mansoul at least four 
summonses, to subject herself to your King ; by 
whose authority, I know not ; nor will I dispute 
that now. I ask, therefore, what means all this ado ? 
or what would you be at, if you know yourselves ? ,J 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 65 

Then Captain Boanerges, whose were the black 
colors, and whose scutcheon was the burning 
thunder-bolts, (taking no notice of the giant, or of 
his speech) thus addressed himself to the town of 
Mansoul : " Be it known unto you, unhappy and 
rebellious Mansoul ! that the most gracious King, 
the great King Shaddai, my master, hath sent me 
unto you with commission (and so he showed to 
the town his broad seal) to reduce you to obedi- 
ence. And he hath commanded me, in case you 
yield upon my summons, to carry it to you as if you 
were my friends or brethren ; but he also hath bid, 
that if, after summons to submit, you still stand out 
and rebel, we should endeavor to take you by 
force. 79 

Now, here we have a fine specimen of that bold 
and earnest style of preaching which, like the deep 
mutterings of the tempest, breaks upon the ears of 
the impenitent, and causes them, at times, to quail 
with fear, under a deep sense of the power and 
authority with which they speak. And in all ages 
of the church there have been just such men — men 
like Luther, or Knox, or Whitefield, or Bunyan 



66 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

himself who have gone forth as heralds of the 
truth, boldly assailing the strong holds of the ene- 
my, demanding a hearing from rebellious sin- 
ners, and insisting upon the unconditional sur- 
render of their souls to God. And, though every 
possible attempt has been made to foil and defeat 
them in their mission, first, perhaps, by the deter- 
mined resistance of the will, then, perchance by 
wicked intrusions of unbelief, and, finally, it may be 
through the opposition of Satan himself, yet, by 
repeated efforts, they have succeeded ultimately in 
gaining an audience with men, and thus laying 
upon their hearts the imperative commands of 
their " most gracious King. 77 

What need there is of just such preaching at 
the present day ! Of elegant, elaborate, and learn- 
ed discourses there is no lack, but, alas ! how few 
of those bold, searching and awakening sermons 
which tend directly to affect the heart, and over- 
whelm men with a sense of their guilt and danger. 
" It is not, 77 as Baxter says, " a general dull dis- 
course, or critical observations on words, or a 
subtle decision of some nice and curious question of 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 67 

the schools, nor is it a neat and well composed speech 
about some other distant matters, that is likely to 
acquaint a sinner with himself. How many ser- 
mons may we hear that are levelled at some mark or 
other which is very far from the hearers' hearts, 
and, therefore, are never likely to convince them 
or open and convert them ? And if our congrega- 
tions were in such a case as that, they needed no 
closer quickening work, such preaching might be 
borne with, and commended. But when so many 
sit before us that must shortly die, and yet are 
unprepared for death, and that are condemned by 
the law of God, and must be pardoned or finally 
condemned ; and that must be saved from their 
sins that they may be saved from everlasting mis- 
ery — I think it is time for us to talk to them of 
such things as most concern them, and that in such 
a manner as may most effectually convince, awaken 
and change them." 

And with such a ministry, what wonderful re- 
sults might the church soon be permitted to wit- 
ness ! With what matchless energy would the 
Word of Life fall from their lips ! And how 



68 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

successfully would they be found attacking the 
entrenchments of sin, and the strong holds of 
darkness ! 

But there was another leader engaged in this 
assault upon Mansoul, whose name was Convic- 
tion. " His/ 7 says Bunyan, " were the pale colors, 
and for a scutcheon he had the book of the law 
wide open, (from whence issued a flame of fire) 
and, coming forth, he said, — ' Hear, Mansoul ! 
Thou, Mansoul, wast once famous for inno- 
cency, but now thou art degenerated into lies 
and deceit. Thou hast heard what my broth- 
er the Captain Boanerges hath said ; and it 
is your wisdom, and will be your happiness, to 
stoop to, and accept of, conditions of peace and 
mercy when offered ; especially when offered by 
one against w T hom thou hast rebelled, and one who 
is of power to tear thee in pieces, for so is Shaddai 
our King ; nor, when he is angry, can anything 
stand before him. If you say you have not 
sinned, nor acted in rebellion against our King, 
the whole of your doings, since the day that you 
cast off his service — and there was the beginning 



Eaknest and Effective Peeaching. 69 

of your sin — will sufficiently testify against you. 
What else means your hearkening to the tyrant, 
and your receiving him for your king ? What 
means else your rejecting of the laws of Shaddai, 
and your obeying of Diabolus ? Yea, what means 
this your taking up of arms against, and the shut- 
ting of your gates upon us, the faithful servants of 
your King ? Be ruled then, and accept of my 
brother's invitation, and overstand not the time of 
mercy, but agree with thine adversary quickly. 
Ah, Mansoul, suffer not thyself to be kept from 
mercy, and to be run into a thousand miseries, 
by the flattering wiles of Diabolus. Perhaps 
that piece of deceit may attempt to make you 
believe that we seek our own profit in this our 
service ; but know, it is obedience to our King, 
and love to your happiness, that is the cause of this 
undertaking of ours. 

Again I say to thee, Mansoul, consider if it be 
not amazing grace that Shaddai should so humble 
himself as he 'doth. Now, he by us reasons with 
you, in a way of entreaty and sweet persuasions, 
that you would subject yourselves to him. Has he 



70 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

that need of you, that we are sure you have of 
him ? No, no ; but he is merciful, and will not 
that Mansoul should die, but turn to him and live." 

We have here, another mode of address, equally 
earnest, but, if possible, more pungent, and direct- 
ed not so much to the understanding and the will, 
as to that more susceptible faculty, which we call 
conscience. And this we find is a characteristic in 
the ministrations of some of Christ's ambassadors, 
and one which invests their messages with extra- 
ordinary power. They labor primarily to show 
sinners their guilt ; to bring before their minds 
the sad relation in which they stand to holiness, 
truth, and justice, and especially to goodness, and 
mercy. They strive to show them that they are 
in rebellion against God, and by the highest claim, 
the divine eight, they seek to overcome their 
opposition, and to bring them into an immediate 
state of reconciliation ; we say immediate, because 
the word of God plainly teaches that there is not 
only great guilt, but imminent danger in delay. 
" Over stand not the time of mercy" said Captain 
Conviction, and, alas ! what need there is now of 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 71 

addressing this same caution to the ungodly 
especially when we consider that men, notwith- 
standing all the efforts put forth for their recovery 3 
and even while convinced of their peril, are still 
found neglecting the claims of God, and madly urg- 
ing their way to eternal ruin. 0, sinner, do not 
linger ! Your Heavenly Father waits to be 
gracious. In his great mercy He proposes to you 
the most favorable terms of reconciliation. He 
even pleads with you that you would turn to him 
and live ! 

"There still is hope, you may his mercy know, 

Though his arm be lifted up, he still forbears the blow.' 3 

But remember, that " Now is the accepted time, 
to-day is the day of salvation" 

After Captain Conviction had spoken, we are 
told Captain Judgment stood forth, and thus he 
addressed the people, — " 1 ye, the inhabitants of 
the town of Mansoul, that have lived so long in 
rebellion and acts of treason against the King 
Shaddai ; know that we come not to-day to this 
place, in this manner, with our message of our own 
minds, or to revenge our own quarrel ; it is the 



72 Maxsoul Besieged ; or 

King, m} T master, that hath sent us to reduce you 
to your obedience to him, the which if you refuse 
in a peaceable way to yield, we have commission 
to compel you thereto, And never think of your^ 
selves, nor yet suffer the tyrant Diabolus to per- 
suade you to think, that our King, by his power, 
is not able to bring you down, and to lay you under 
his feet ; for he is the former of all things, and if 
he touches the mountains, they smoke. Nor will 
the gate of the King's clemency stand always open ; 
for the day that shall burn like an oven is before 
him, yea, it hasteth greatly, it slumbereth not. 

1 Mansoul ! Is it little in thine eyes that our 
King doth offer thee mercy, and that, after so 
many provocations ? Yea, he still holdeth out his 
golden sceptre to thee, and will not yet suffer 
his gate to be shut against thee. Wilt thou pro- 
voke him to do it ? If so, consider of what I say : — 
To thee it is opened no more for ever. If thou 
sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is 
before him ; therefore trust thou in him. Tea, 
" because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee 
away with his stroke ; then a great ransom cannot 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 73 

deliver thee." Will lie esteem thy riches ? No ; 
not gold, nor all the forces of strength. " He 
hath prepared his throne for judgment." For 
" he will come with fire, and with his chariots like 
a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and 
his rebuke with flames of fire." Therefore, 
Mansoul, take heed, lest after thou hast fulfilled 
the judgment of the wicked, justice and judgment 
should take hold of thee.' 

Now, while the Captain Judgment was making 
of this oration to the town of Mansoul, it was 
observed by some that Diabolus trembled. But 
he proceeded in his parable, and said, ' thou 
woful town of Mansoul ! wilt thou not yet set open 
thy gate to receive us, the deputies of thy King, 
and those that would rejoice to see thee live ? 
" Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be 
strong, in the days that he shall deal" in judgment 
" with thee." I say, canst thou endure to be forced 
to drink, as one would drink sweet wine, the sea of 
wrath that our King has prepared for Diabolus and 
his angels ? Consider betimes, consider." 

And with just such solemn and alarming truths, 



74 Maxsoul Besieged ; ok 

my hearers, have some of Christ's ministers come 
to you. They have set before you judgment to 
come. They have warned you of your danger. 
They have pointed you to the tempest cloud of 
heaven's wrath, gathering above you. and in toneb 
of deepest sympathy they have called upon you 
to flee for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before 
you in the Gospel. They have reasoned with you 
as Paul did with Felix. They have said to you in 
language indited by the Holy Ghost. " Behold the 
day cometh that shall burn as an oven : and all the 
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stub- 
ble : and the day that cometh shall burn them up r 
saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them 
neither root nor branch.'* And with many other 
such words have they spoken unto you. And 
though you have striven to banish the impression 
of that fearful day from your mind, and endeavored 
to forget the earnest remonstrances that have been 
made against your continued resistance of the 
divine authority ; yet, how often have you been 
made to fear and tremble under a deep con- 
viction of your exposure to the divine judgment I 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 75 

Happy it is for you that God's servants do not 
allow you to slumber where there is such danger 
of perishing. But what if these flashes of truth, 
while discovering the fires of hell, should have no 
other effect on you than they had on the Eoman 
governor ? of what consequence is it that you 
tremble, unless, at the same time, you turn ? Alas ! 
how many have felt the truth, that have never fol- 
lowed it ! how many have feared the judgment, that 
have never sought by faith to escape it ! " There- 
fore, take heed, lest after thou hast fulfilled the 
judgment of the wicked, justice and judgment 
should take hold of thee." 

The last of the four Captains to speak to Man- 
soul, was Execution, and with great boldness he 
stood forth and said — " ' town of Mansoul ! once 
famous, but now like the fruitless bough ; once 
the delight of the high ones, but now a den for 
Diabolus : hearken also to me, and to the words 
that I shall speak to thee in the name of the great 
Shaddai. " The axe is laid unto the root of the trees : 
therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good 
fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire." 



76 Mansoul Besieged : or 

1 Thou, town of Man s oul ! hath hitherto been 
this fruitless tree : thou bearest naught but thorns 
and briars. Thy evil fruit fore-bespeaks thee not 
to be a good tree. Thy " grapes are grapes of gall, 
thy clusters are bitter. n Thou hast rebelled 
against thy King, and lo ! we, the power and force 
of Shacldai, are the axe that is laid to thy roots. 
What sayest thou, wilt thou turn ? I say again, 
tell me before the first blow is given, wilt thou 
turn ? Our axe must first be laid to thy root, 
before it be laid at thy root ; it must first be laid 
to thy root in a way of threatening, before it is laid 
at thy root by way of execution ; and between 
these two is required thy repentance, and this is 
all the time that thou hast. "What wilt thou do ? 
wilt thou turn, or shall I smite ? If I fetch my 
blow, Mansoul, down you go : for I have commis- 
sion to lay my axe at, as well as to thy roots, nor 
will anything but yielding to our King prevent 
doing of execution. "What art thou fit for, Man- 
soul, if mercy preventeth not, but to be hewn down, 
and cast into the fire and burned ? 

* Mansoul ! patience and forbearance do not 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 77 

act for ever, a year or two, or three, they may ; but 
if thou provoke by a three years' rebellion — and 
thou hast already done more than this — then what 
follows but cut it down ? Nay, " after that thou 
shalt cut it down. 7 ' And dost thou think these are 
but threatening^, or that our King has not power 
to execute his words ? Mansoul ! thou wilt find 
that in the words of our King, when they are by 
sinners made little or light of, there is not only 
threatening, but burning coals of fire. Thou hast 
been a cumber-ground long already, and wilt thou 
continue so still ? Thy sin has brought this army 
to thy walls, and shall it bring it in judgment to 
do execution into thy town ? Thou hast heard 
what the Captains have said, but as yet thou shut- 
test thy gates ; speak out, Mansoul, wilt thou do 
so still, or wilt thou accept of conditions of 
peace V 

Here we have still another style of address which 
suggests an order of ministerial gifts preeminently 
positive and practical. They are characteristic of 
the men who, while seeking to show the ungodly 
their guilt, at the same time solemnly declare the 



78 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

certainty of their approaching doom. They point 
to those who, coming to the ungodly as the ambas- 
sadors of Christ, threaten transgressors with pun- 
ishment, and demand of the rebellious instant and 
absolute submission to the Divine authority. Nor 
do they, in thus speaking, transcend their power, 
for they appear before men in Christ's stead ; they 
stand as his representatives, and, acting under his 
great commission, they are commanded to declare 
that " he that beiieveth not shall be damned. " 

Yet, while they thus speak with authority, they 
do it with feeling. Their earnestness is associated 
with tenderness, so that, while they alarm men's 
consciences with the terrors of the law, they seek, 
at the same time, to allay their fears with the 
promises of the Gospel. And thus they strive to 
bring them to a knowledge of their true condition, 
and also, to promote in them that " godly sorrow 
that worketh repentance to salvation not to be 
repented of." 

But, with all this zeal and labor, alas, how limi- 
ted are the results ! Often have you, sinner, heard 
just such pungent appeals ; often have the minis- 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 79 

ters of reconciliation come to you remonstrating, 
reproving, warning, and threatening. Yet you 
have not heeded their counsels, neither have you 
regarded their instructions. And thus, from year 
to year, like the people of whom the prophet 
speaks, you have refused to hearken, and pulled 
away the shoulder, and stopped your ears that you 
should not hear. 

This was the reception which Mansoul gave to 
the four noble Captains. " These brave speeches/' 
says Bunyan, " they refused to hear. Yet a sound 
thereof did beat against Ear Gate, though the force 
thereof could not break it open. In fine, the town 
desired a time to prepare their answer to these 
demands. The Captains then told them, 1 That if 
they would throw out to them one Illpause, that 
was in the town, then they would give them 
time to consider ; but if they would not cast him 
to them over the wall of Mansoul, then they would 
give them none ; for.' said the}', 1 we know that 
so long as Illpause draws breath in Mansoul, all 
good consideration will be confounded, and noth- 
ing but mischief will come thereon." 



80 Mansoul Besieged ; or 

Ah, here is the secret ! There is an insidious 
enemy within ; — a secret desire to consult with 
flesh and blood ; a feigning of consideration, which 
is but a deceptive pretext for delay ; a determina- 
tion, though partially convinced, to defer submis- 
sion ; in short, a wicked propensity to parley with 
the truth rather than to practise it. 

Nor can this natural disposition be easily over- 
come, since, as Bunyan suggests, it is powerfully 
supported and constantly encouraged by the wick- 
ed suggestions of old Incredulity, who, while boldly 
presuming to question the Divine authority, seeks 
also to lull the soul into a most treacherous and 
fatal repose. And if by these and other influences 
this enemy Ill-pause be retained, and thus the earn- 
est appeals of God's servants be, for a time, 
successfully resisted, it will not be strange if men 
once in great mental distress, are found at length 
glorying in their freedom from spiritual anxiety, 
and, perhaps, as in the case of Mansoul, fortifying 
themselves against the power of all future efforts. 

But, whatever difficulties may be encountered, 
this siege can never be relinquished, and if defeat 



Earnest and Effectiye Preaching. 81 

covers one attempt, it must be quickly followed by 
another. Thus it was with Shaddai's four Cap- 
tains, for when they saw " that Marisoul was 
resolved to give the King's army battle, they pre- 
pared themselves to receive them, and to try it out 
by the power of the arm. And, first, they made 
their force more formidable against Ear Gate : for 
they knew, that unless they could penetrate that, 
no good could be done upon the town. This done, 
they put the rest of their men in their places. 
After which, they gave out the word, which was, 
ye must be bosn again. Then they sounded the 
trumpet : then the} 7 in the town made the answer, 
with shout against shout, charge against charge, 
and so the battle began. Now, they in the town 
had planted upon the tower, over Ear Gate, two 
great guns, the one called High Hind, and the 
other Heady, and mischievous pieces they were. 
The famous Mansoul had, also, some other small 
pieces in it, of which they made use against the 
Camp of Shaddai. 
They from the camp, also, did as stoutly, and 

with as much of that as may, in truth, be called 

4* 



82 Maxsoul Besieged ; or 

valor, let fly as fast at the tower, and at Ear Gate ; 
for they saw, that unless they could break open 
Ear Gate, it would be but in vain to batter the 
wall. Now the King's Captains had brought with 
them several slings, and two or three battering 
rams. With their slings, therefore, they battered 
the houses and the people of the town, and with 
their rams they sought to break Ear Gate open." 

With all their ingenuity and force, however, 
they found it impossible to gain any decided advan- 
tage over Mansoul, and, therefore, it was judged 
prudent to suspend, for a season, all operations. 
Yet, in their encounters, they succeeded, it is said, 
in beating down the roof of old Mr. Incredulity's 
house ; also, with a sling, they came near slaying 
my Lord Will-be-will, and with one well directed 
shot, they slaughtered six of the Aldermen. Be- 
side which, they dismounted the two guns that 
stood in the tower over Ear Gate. While their 
only loss consisted of three young fellows by the 
names of Mr. Tradition, Mr. Human-wisdom, and 
Mr. Mans-invention, who having " a mind to go for 
soldiers," had happened to join them. But though 




The TJaTTLE. 



Earnest and Effective Preaching. 85 

the army of Shaddai was now withdrawn, and the 
siege, for a time, suspended, still the inhabitants 
could not rest, they were constantly disturbed and 
troubled by alarms. Yea, and " in these clays, as I 
was informed, new thoughts, and thoughts that 
began to run counter to one another, began to pos- 
sess the minds of the men of the town of Mansoul. 
Some would say, * There is no living thus f others 
would then reply, 'This will be over shortly,' 
Then would a third stand up and answer, ' Let us 
turn to the King Shaddai, and so put an end to 
these troubles/ And a fourth would come in with 
a fear, saying, ' I doubt he will not receive us.' 
The old gentleman too, the Recorder, that was so 
before Diabolus took Mansoul, he also began to 
talk aloud ; and his words were now to the town 
of Mansoul as if they were great claps of thunder. 
No noise now so terrible to Mansoul as was his, 
with the noise of the soldiers, and shoutings of the 
Captains. 

Also, things began to grow scarce in Mansoul ; 
now the things that her soul lusted after were 
departing from her. Upon all her pleasant things 



86 Maxsoul Besieged ; ok 

there was a blast, and burning instead of beauty. 
Wrinkles now, and some shows of the shadow of 
death, were upon the inhabitants of MansouL And 
now, how glad would Mansoul have been to 
have enjoyed quietness and satisfaction of mind, 
though joined with the meanest condition in the 
world 1" 

So natural and truthful is all this, that its spirit- 
ual meaning must be at once apparent. Alas ! it 
is a painful fact that, in most cases, the devices and 
schemes of men to resist spiritual impressions are 
just in proportion to the efforts which are made to 
gain them. With all their inventions, however, 
there is one truth against the force of which they 
cannot stand. It is the doctrine of the new birth, 
and though the self-righteous and the proud may 
despise this doctrine, it is nevertheless powerful 
to destroy all the false hopes of the awakened sin- 
ner, and will be effectual in ultimately bringing 
" into captivity every thought to the obedience of 
Christ," 

But such truth, though spoken never so faith- 
fully, may often seem to produce but little or no 



Earnest axd Effective Preaching. 8T 

effect, and well nigh, ready to despair of success, 
Christ's ministers may, occasionally, be strongly 
tempted to suspend their efforts ; and yet, at these 
very times, the Tvord is, perhaps, doing good 
execution, and, though they may not know it, 
the hearts of rebellious sinners are filled with 
trembling, and under the stern reproofs of con- 
science, and a deep sense of their spiritual wants, 
many are on the very eve of making a fall sur- 
render of themselves to God. 

If there should be any thing approaching this in 
the spiritual state of those now addressed, be 
entreated to yield, at once, to the gracious over- 
tures made in the Gospel. Suffer no feeling or 
influence to stand in the way of your salvation, 
As men convinced of guilt, in resisting the author- 
ity of God, ground the weapons of your rebellion ; 
by repentance and faith seek for pardon, and rest 
satisfied with nothing short of an interest in the 
" everlasting righteousness" of Jesus Christ. Im- 
prove the " space" now given you to flee from 
the wrath to come ; escape for your life, or you 
are lost soon, and lost forever. Without delay 



88 Mansoul Besieged. 

cast yourselves on the Divine Mercy. " Kiss the 
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, 
when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed 
are all they that put their trust in him." 

" Oft has he called thee, but thou wouldst not hear him, 
Mercies and judgments have alike been slighted ; 
Yet he is gracious, and with arms unfolded, 

Waits to embrace thee. 

But if you trifle with His gracious message, 
Cleave to the world and love its guilty pleasures, 
Mercy, grown weary, shall in righteous judgment, 
Quit you forever." 



IV. 

literal %&mlkh 



" I'll make your great commission known, 

And ye shall prove my Gospel true 
By all the works that I have done — 

By all the wonders ye shall do." 

tl Every accessory, every instrument of usefulness, the church has now in 
such a degree, and of such excellence as was never known in any other age ; 
and we want but a supreme and glorious baptism of fire, to exhibit to the 
world such a spectacle as would raise ten thousand hallelujahs to the glory 
of our King."— Arthur's "Tongue of Fire." 



IV. 



MAXSOUL ASSAULTED ; . 

OE, 

THE LORD WORKING WITH US. 

<{ Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."— 
Matt, xxyiii : 20. 

ii an( ^ ^ e son V ; sa y s Bunyan, " are at odds/' 

and so true is this that we have yet to find 
among fallen men, one who can look back upon the 
past without remorse, or forward to the future 
without fear. As transgressors, we all carry with 
us the sentence of condemnation, and if this does 
not lead to sincere repentance, it must, at least, 
awaken a greater or less degree of anxiety. Now, 
the effect of " godly sorrow/ 7 is to bring a man to 



92 Maxsoul Assaulted ; or 

his knees, and draw from his lips the tender lan- 
guage of contrition ; but the " sorrow of the world, 77 
while it may rack the bosom with anguish, can, at 
most, but prompt to the utterances of despair. 

It was of little consequence that Mansoul "lay 
distressed under its perplexing fears 77 so long as it 
refused to surrender. While greatly alarmed, it 
was very far from being humbled, and though it 
desired quietness, it was upon such assuming terms, 
or as Boanerges said, "with such silly provisos, 
and foolish cavils, as to lay the stumbling-block of 
their iniquity before their own faces.' 7 And, be- 
sides all this, in spite of the numerous and earnest 
efforts made by my Lord Understanding, and the 
old Recorder, Mr. Conscience, to impress the inhab- 
itants of the town with " the reasonableness of the 
noble Captain 7 s demands, 77 the people still seemed 
disposed to yield to the crafty counsels of old 
Incredulity. Indeed, so far were they influenced 
by them, that though in the controversy they 
were much divided, some taking sides with him, 
and some with those whom he opposed, yet, 
when the uproar and confusion were over, they 



The Lord Working with Us. 93 

seem not to have offered the slightest resistance, 
even though my Lord Understanding and Mr. 
Conscience were cast into prison " as the ringlead- 
ers and managers of this most heavy, riotous rout 
in Mansoul." 

Now the moral of this allusion is obvious, and 
we have reason to believe, of wide application. 
To be simply troubled on account of sin is not 
repentance, since this may arise from a deep dread 
of its consequences, rather than from any just con- 
ception of its nature, and many a transgressor has 
been known to sigh for " quietness," and even to 
desire spiritual comfort, who has not been willing 
fully to renounce his own righteousness, or dis- 
posed to accept the terms of reconciliation as pro- 
pounded in the Gospel. The great difficulty in all 
such cases arises from the fact, that while the 
understanding and the conscience prompt to sub- 
mission, the wicked suggestions of unbelief urge to 
resistance, and alas ! to such an extent are these 
allowed to prevail, that following up his advantage, 
the enemy too often succeeds in fettering alike 
both the rational and moral powers of the soul. 



94 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

The truth is that, to Satan, the efforts of an en- 
lightened understanding, and an awakened con- 
science are offensive, as threatening to subvert his 
authority, and, therefore, though he may not hope 
to destroy them, he will at least strive desperately 
to restrain them. Thus it happened in the case of 
Mansoul. But, with all this, her condition was 
regarded by Shaddai's Captains as increasingly 
hopeful. Wherefore, we are- told, they concluded 
to give the people another summons to yield. So, 
calling a trumpeter, he came up to the wall of the 
town, and standing before Ear Gate, he sounded as 
he was commanded. " They, then, that were within 
came out to see what was the matter, and the trum- 
peter made them this speech following : — 

i hard-hearted, and deplorable town of Man- 
soul, how long wilt thou love thy sinful, sinful 
simplicity, and ye fools delight in your scorning ? 
As yet despise you the offers of peace, and deliver- 
ance ? As yet will ye refuse the golden offers of 
Shaddai, and trust to the lies and falsehoods of 
Diabolus ? Think you when Shaddai should have 
conquered you, that the remembrance of these 



The Lord Working with Us. 95 

your carriages towards him, will yield you peace 
and comfort ; or that, by ruffling language, you can 
make him afraid as a grasshopper ? Doth he en- 
treat you, for fear of you ? Do you think that you 
are stronger than he ? Look to the heavens, and 
behold, and consider the stars, how high are they ! 
Can you stop the sun from running his course, and 
hinder the moon from giving her ligjit ? Can you 
count the number of the stars, or stay the bottles 
of heaven ? Can you call for the waters of the sea, 
and cause them to cover the face of the ground ? 
Can you behold every one that is proud, and abase 
him, and bind their faces in secret ? Yet these 
are some of the works of our King, in whose name, 
this day, we come up unto you, that you may be 
brought under his authority. In his name, there- 
fore, I summon you again, to yield up yourselves 
to his Captains.' " 

But after hearing this address, and while they 
were yet hesitating, Diabolus interposed, and by a 
cunning misconstruction of its statements, repre- 
sented the greatness of Shaddai as a ground of 
terror, and his service as a source of constant un- 



98 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

happiness, and thus succeeded in hardening their 
hearts against every appeal, and, at last, in driving 
them to despair. " And now, things seemed to be 
gone quite back, and Mansoul to be out of reach or 
call ; yet the Captains, who knew what their Lord 
could do, would not yet be beat out of heart. 
They, therefore, send them another summons, more 
sharp and severe than the last ; but the oftener 
they were sent to be reconciled to Shaddai, the 
farther off they were. 77 The Captains, therefore, 
after a free conference, resolved that, while con- 
tinuing to make every effort in their power, they 
, would draw up a petition to Shaddai ; by which, 
after showing the condition of Mansoul, and beg- 
ging his pardon for their limited success, they 
would earnestly implore His Majesty's help that 
the conquest of the town might be speedily 
accomplished. And the following was their peti- 
tion : — 

" Most gracious and glorious King, the Lord of 
the best world, and the builder of the town of 
Mansoul : We have, dread Sovereign, at thy com- 
mandment, put our lives in jeopardy, and at thy 



The Lord Working with Us. 97 

bidding made a war upon the famous town of Man- 
soul. When we went up against it, we did, 
according to our commission, first offer conditions 
of peace unto it. But they, great King, set light 
by our counsel, and would none of our reproof. 
They were for shutting of their gates, and for keep- 
ing us out of the town. They also mounted their 
guns, they sallied out upon us, and have done us 
what damage they could ; but we pursued them, 
with alarm upon alarm, requiring of them with such 
retribution as was meet, and have done some exe- 
cution upon the town. Diaboius, Incredulity, and 
Will-be-wiil are the great doers against us ; now 
we are in our winter quarters, but so as that we 
do yet with an high hand molest and distress the 
town. Once, as we think, we had but one substan- 
tial friend in the town, such as would but have 
seconded the sound of our summons as they ought, 
the people might have yielded themselves. But 
there were none but enemies there, nor any to 
speak in behalf of our Lord to the town : where- 
fore, though we have done as w r e could, yet Man- 
soul abides in a state of rebellion against thee. 



98 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

Now, King of kings, let it please thee to pardon 
the unsuccessfulness of thy servants, who have 
been no more advantageous in so desirable a work 
as the conquering of Mansoul is ; and send, Lord, 
as we now desire, more forces to Mansoul, that it 
may be subdued ; and a man to head them, that 
the town may both love and fear. We do not thus 
speak because we are willing to relinquish the 
wars — for we are for laying of our bones against 
the place — but that the town of Mansoul may be 
won for thy Majesty. We also pray thy Majesty 
for expedition in this matter, that, after their con- 
quest, we may be at liberty to be sent about other 
thy gracious designs. Anien." 

Now the simple key to this petition is given by 
Bunyan when, in his marginal note he says, " the 
Captains leave off to summons and betake them- 
selves to prayer." And wise men they were to do 
so ; for they had encountered a foe that had foiled 
and resisted them at every point of attack, and 
whom, they were now satisfied, could only be con- 
quered by the " power of the Highest." 

And while, as Ministers of the Gospel, we go to 



The Lord Working with Us. 99 

men, clad in spiritual armor, and using, with all 
possible skill, " tlie weapons of our warfare," it is 
of the utmost consequence, nay, it is absolutely 
indispensable, that we recognize our dependence 
on the Almighty, and constantly apply to him for 
assistance. We may preach to rebellious sinners 
until they seem ready to give up with fear, and, 
following up our fancied advantage by increasing 
our endeavors, we may be ready to regard our 
efforts as almost certain of success ; but, alas ! we 

are apt to forget what an insidious adversary op- 
poses us, and hence, when we look for the sinner's 
surrender, we find to our disappointment and grief, 
that " his heart is turned back," and that all his 
promised goodness is " like the morning cloud and 
the early dew." It is by just such experiences as 
this that we are made to see that the weapons we 
wield are only " mighty through God," and thus we 
are brought to acknowledge with the Apostle, that 
" neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he 
that watereth ; but God that giveth the increase." 
Nor is this truth peculiar to the dispensation of 
the Gospel. On the contrary, it was impressively 



100 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

taught and practically illustrated, even in the days 
of Ezekiel. Hence we find that after the prophet 
had preached to the bones, he prayed, and imme- 
diately there came from heaven a life-giving breath, 
which changed a crowd of carcases into a living 
army. 

Though beset by every discouragement, there- 
fore, we have no reason to fear, since it is our pri- 
vilege, with all confidence, to invoke the aid of Him 
with whom is " the residue of the Spirit/ 7 and 
whose power none can resist. 

It was for the interposition of this power, as we 
have said, that the Captains of Shaddai now 
applied. And when their petition was come to 
the palace, it fell into the hands of the King's Son, 
" so he took it, and read it ; and because the con- 
tents of it pleased him well, he mended it, and also, 
in some things, added to the petition himself. So, 
after he had made such amendments and additions 
as he thought convenient, with his own hands, he 
carried it unto the King : to whom, when he had 
with obeisance delivered it, he put on authority 
and spake to it himself." 



The Lord Working with Us. 101 
Now the King, at the sight of the petition, was 
glad ; but how much more, think you, when it was 
seconded by his Son ? It pleased him also to hear 
that his servants, who had encamped against Man- 
soul, were so hearty in their work, and so steadfast 
in their resolves, and that they had already got 
some ground upon the famous town of Mansoul. 

Wherefore, the King called to him Immanuel his 
Son, who said, " Here am I, my Father," Then 
said the King, " Thou knowest as I do myself, the 
condition of the town of Mansoul, and what thou 
hast done to redeem it. Come now, therefore, my 
Son, and prepare thyself for the war, for thou shalt 
go to my camp at Mansoul ; thou shalt also there 
prosper and prevail, and conquer the town of 
Mansoul." 

Upon the announcement of this design, there 
was extraordinary joy both at the court and in the 
camp. And when, at length, Immanuel with his 
forces, under the command of Captains Credence, 
Goodhope, Charity, Innocent, and Patience, set out 
for their march, a scene was presented of most 
wonderful and imposing grandeur. " Immanuel 



102 Mansoul Assaulted ; oe 

also, when he had thns set forward to go to recover 
the town of Mansoul, took with hira, at the corn- 
mandment of his Father, forty-four battering rams, 
and twelve slings, to whirl stones withal. Every 
one of these was made of pure gold ; and these 
they carried with them in the heart and body of 
their army, all along as they went to Mansoul. 

" So they marched till they came within less than 
a league of the town. And there they lay till the 
first four Captains came thither, to acquaint him 
with matters. Then they took their journey to go 
to the town of Mansonl, and unto Mansoul they 
came. But when the old soldiers that were in the 
camp saw that they had new forces to join with, 
they again gave such a shout before the walls of 
the town of Mansonl 3 that it put Diabolus into 
another fright. So they sat down before the town, 
not now as the other four Captains did, to wit, 
against the gates of Mansonl only ; but they envi- 
roned it round on every side, and beset it behind 
and before ; so that now, let Mansoul look which 
way it will, it saw force and power lie in siege 
against it." 



The Lobd Working with Us. 103 

If then, we have pressing need, what encourage- 
ment have we to pray ; since, at the heavenly 
court, we have the King's Son as our advocate, who 
graciously receives, amends, and presents our peti- 
tions, so that they cannot but be acceptable and 
-effectual. And how cheering is this fact especially 
to those who are engaged in the arduous and diffi- 
cult work of the Christian ministry ! Feeling, as 
they must, their utter insufficiency to accomplish 
any thing in their own strength, what a privilege 
is it to make known their wants to God, and to 
look for assistance to the all-prevalent intercessions 
of Jesus ! And 0, what abundant answers are 
sometimes received ; for' while they are yet asking 
for " more force and power," behold they are 
cheered by the presence of Immanuel himself in 
the camp ! Nor does he come alone^ for lo ! he is 
attended with all the precious gifts and graces of 
the Holy Spirit, as Faith, Hope, Cnariti/, Innocence, 
and Patience. And these, leading on the new cov- 
enant forces^ carry forward the contest commenced 
by the law 5 and hasten it to a triumphant and glo- 
rious issue. 



104 Maxsoul Assaulted ; or 

But mark what formidable weapons they wield i 
" Fifty-four battering rams, and twelve slings" — 
which Bunyan, in his note, applies to the several 
books of the old and New Testament. In the orig- 
inal text, mention is made cf forty-four battering 
rams, and twelve slings, which is interpreted at 
the same time to mean the sixty-six books of the 
Holy Bible. In later editions, however, we find 
this was altered to u fifty-four battering ranis," but 
it may be questioned whether thi& change is cor- 
rect. It is more than probable, that the printer 
mistook Mr. Bunyan's figures, 22 for 12 r and with 
this change in the count of the slings, we have the 
thirty-nine books of the Old Testament, with the 
Gospels and the Acts,, for the forty-four battering 
rams, and for the twenty-two slings, the Epistles 
with the Apocalypse. Mighty and effectual wea- 
pons these are, in pulling down the strongholds- of 
the Devil, and those who rightly use them are not 
only invulnerable to every foe, but a terror to all 
who oppose them. It was so in the case of Man soul, 
for we read that u when the men of the town saw 
the multitude of the soldiers- that were come up 




Setting rp thf Black Flag. 



The Lord Working with Us. 105 

against the place, and the rains and slings, and the 
mounts on which they were planted, together with 
the glittering of the armor and the waving of their 
colors, they were forced to shift and shift, and 
again to shift their thoughts, but they hardly 
changed for thoughts more stout, but rather for 
thoughts more faint. For though before they 
thought themselves sufficiently guarded, yet now 
they began to think that no man knew what would 
be their hap or lot." 

And now, before actually assaulting the town, 
the good Prince Immanuel graciously deigned to 
show them a signal of peace, but this being disre- 
garded by them, he next flung out the red flag of 
war, and, finally, finding that they took no notice 
of this, he next set up the black flag of defiance. 
" But when the Prince saw that neither mercy, nor 
judgment, nor execution of judgment, would or 
could come near the heart of Mansoul, he was 
touched with much compunction, and said, { Surely 
this strange carriage of the town of Mansoul doth 
rather arise from ignorance of the manner and feats 

of war, than from a secret defiance of us, and abhor- 

5* 



106 Mansoul Assaulted • or 

rence of their own lives ; or, if they know the 
manner of the war of their own, yet not the rites 
and ceremonies of the wars in which we are con- 
cerned, when I make wars upon mine enemy 
Diabolus. 7 

Therefore, he sent to the town of Mansoul, to let 
them know what he meant by those signs and cere- 
monies of the flag, and also to know of them which 
of the things they would choose, whether grace and 
mercy, or judgment and the execution of judgment. 
All this while they kept their gates shut with locks, 
bolts, and bars, as fast as they could ; their guards, 
also, were doubled, and their watch made as strong 
as they could. Diabolus also did pluck up what 
heart he could, to encourage the town to make 
resistance. 77 

Thus, notwithstanding the Prince's wonderful 
patience and condescension, the people of Mansoul 
were still disinclined to surrender. And in reply 
to the fearful alternative submitted by Immanuel, 
they only answered, that, being under the domin- 
ion of Diabolus, they were incompetent themselves 
to decide either for peace or for war. 



The Lord Wobking with Us. 109 

Now just such gracious forbearance, and earnest 
importunity, and tender solicitude as is here por- 
trayed, does Christ exhibit toward rebellious sin- 
ners. Counselled, entreated, admonished, and 
warned, as they have been, Jehovah might right- 
eously abandon them to destruction, but infinite 
mercy prevails to the staying of the divine stroke, 
and, by his long-suffering and goodness, God still 
seeks to bring them to repentance. But alas ! in 
spite of every effort, we find them cherishing the 
wicked spirit of resistance, and criminally yielding 
themselves to the usurped authority of Satan. 

Having failed by all these conciliatory means to 
bring Mansoul to terms, Immanuel next proceeds 
to declare his purpose against it, and to assert his 
undoubted claims upon its allegiance, especially as 
being his by inheritance and purchase. But all 
these most reasonable appeals they refused to hear. 
When, however, things were in readiness for the 
battle, and Immanuel had sent them the last sum- 
mons, " Then they, together with Diabolus their 
king, called a council of war, and resolved upon 
certain propositions that should be offered to Im- 



110 Mansoul Assaulted : or 

manuel, if he will accept thereof, so they agreed ; 
and then the next was who should be sent on this 
errand. Xow there was in the town of Mansoul an 
old man, a Diabolonian, and his name was Mr. 
Loth-to-stoop, a stiff man in his way. and a great 
doer for Diabolus ; him, therefore, they sent, and 
put into his mouth what he should say. So he 
went, and came to the camp, to Immanuel : and 
when he was come, a time was appointed to give 
him audience. So at the time he came, and after 
a Diabolonian ceremony or two, he thus began, and 
said, ' Great Sir, that it may be known unto all 
men how good-natured a prince my master is, he 
hath sent me to tell your Lordship that he is very 
willing, rather than to go to war, to deliver up into 
your hands one-half of the town of Mansoul. I am, 
therefore, to know if your Mightiness will accept of 
this proposition.' 

Then said Immanuel, c The whole is mine by gift 
and purchase, wherefore I will never lose one- 
half/ 

Then said Mr. Loth-to-stoop, 1 Sir, my master 
hath said, that he will be content that you shall be 



The Lord Working with Us. Ill 

the nominal and titular Lord of all, if he may pos- 
sess but a part. 7 

Then Immannel answered, 1 The whole is mine 
really ; not in name and word only : wherefore I 
will be the sole Lord and possessor of all, or of 
none at all of Mansoul. 7 77 

But, farther than this, the Prince, though earn- 
estly beset by this proud commissioner, declined 
granting to Diabolus even the privilege of visiting, 
or of communicating, or upon any pretext what- 
ever, of giving counsel to Mansoul. " For, 77 said he, 
"it will be a great disparagement to my Father 7 s 
wisdom, to admit any from Mansoul to go out to 
Diabolus for advice, when they are bid before, in 
everything, by prayer and supplication to let their 
requests be made known to my Father. Further, 
this, should it be granted, would be to grant that a 
door should be set open for Diabolus and the 
Diabolonians in Mansoul, to hatch and plot, and 
bring to pass treasonable designs, to the grief 
of my Father and me, and to the utter destruction 
of Mansoul. 77 

How truthfully in all this has Bunyan set forth 



112 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

the wicked aversion of the proud heart to stoop to 
that absolute obedience to Christ which he justly 
and imperatively demands ! The terms of dis- 
cipleship are the same now as when first propound- 
ed by our Saviour, and the entire denial of self is 
one of his first and most positive requirements. 
But men are loth to stoop, and seek rather to effect 
a compromise, or establish a concord between 
Christ and Belial. They are willing, if needs be, to 
observe certain religious forms, and even to confess 
that Jesus is Lord, but they desire, at the same 
time, a license to indulge in pleasures and practices 
which are hostile to godliness and utterly incon- 
sistent with a Christian profession. But all this 
partial and conditional subjection, Christ most posi- 
tively rejects, denying to the sinner every reser- 
vation, and repelling every proposal that does not 
contemplate that cheerful and complete surrender 
which leads a trembling penitent joyfully to ex- 
claim :— 

" Take my whole heart, and let it be 
Forever closed to aU hut thee." 

And now things, it will be observed, have reached 



The Lord Working with us. 113 

a crisis with Mansoul ; for having resisted all Im- 
manual's overtures, and even formed a deliberate 
purpose to withstand him, nothing remained but 
that he should try the power of his sword, ' ; for I 
will not," said he, 11 for all the rebellions and repulses 
that Mansoul has made against me, raise my siege 
and depart, but will assuredly take my Mansoul, 
and deliver it from the hand of her enemy. And 
with that he gave out a commandment that Captain 
Boanerges. Captain Conviction, Captain Judgment, 
and Captain Execution, should forthwith march up 
to Ear Gate with trumpets sounding, colors flying, 
and with shouting for the battle. Also he would 
that Captain Credence should join himself with 
them. Immanuel, moreover, gave order that Captain 
Goodhope and Captain Charity should draw them- 
selves up before Eye Gate. He bid also that the 
rest of his Captains, and their men, should place 
themselves for the best of their advantage against 
the enemy, round about the town, and all was done 
as he had commanded. Then he bid that the word 
should be given forth, and the word was at that 
time 1 Immanuel/ Then was an alarm sounded, and 



114 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

the battering-rams were played, and the slings did 
whirl stones into the town amain, and thus the bat- 
tle began. NowDiabolus himself managed the town- 
men in the war, and that at every gate ; wherefore 
their resistance was the more forcible, hellish, and 
offensive to Immanuel. Thus was the good Prince 
engaged and entertained by Diabolus and Mansoul 
for several days together. And a sight worth see- 
ing it was, to behold how the captains of Shaddai 
behaved themselves in this war. 

And first for Captain Boanerges, not to under- 
value the rest, he made three most fierce assaults, 
one after another, upon Ear Gate, to the shaking of 
the posts thereof. Captain Conviction, he also 
made up as fast with Boanerges as possibly he could, 
and both discerning that the gate began to yield, 
they commanded that the rams should still be play- 
ed against it. Nor did Captain Goodhope nor Cap* 
tain Charity come behind in this most desperate 
fight, for they so well did behave themselves at 
Eye Gate, that they had almost broken it quite open." 

As the result of this engagement, a number of 
the enemy's principal officers, and also some of the 



The Loed Working with Us. 115 

townsmen, were brought to a most inglorious end. 
Among these were Captain Boasting. Captain Se- 
cure, Captain Bragg, and some others, while Mr. 
Feeling, Mr. "Will-be-will, Mr. Love-no-good, and Mr. 
Ill-pause are each reported as having received very 
serious, if not fatal wounds. Discovering them, 
therefore, in this crippled condition, the Prince com- 
manded that " yet once more the white flag should be 
set upon Mount Gracious, in sight of the town of 
Mansoul ; to show that yet Immanuel had grace 
for the wretched town." 

Here then, we see a wonderful increase of power 
and effect accompanying the use of God's appointed 
means, and we also mark the support which hope 
and charity afford to those who are engaged, under 
Immanuel. in efforts for the recovery of the rebel- 
lious. 

The noble Captains here aluded to. succeeded, it 
will be remembered, in a former encounter, in mak- 
ing Mansoul tremble with fear, but now, coming not 
with the terrors of the law, but in the name of 
Immanuel, they are endowed with a strength which 
tells most effectively on the heart with all its boast- 



116 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

ed confidence and pride. And thus it is that, aftei 
" patient continuance," we often see a cheering mea- 
sure of success crowning the labors of the Gospel 
ministry. The sinner, once full of self-righteous- 
ness, no longer boasts of his fancied goodness, his 
false hopes are slain, and he is made to feel that 
" the word of God is quick, and powerful, and 
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even 
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of 
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the 
thoughts and intents of the heart. 7 ' 

And whenever this effect is witnessed, then, as 
a token of peace, we may hang out the white flag, 
proclaiming in the ears of those who are ready to 
perish the joyful intelligence that "The Lord is 
gracious — abundant in goodness — keeping mercy 
for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, transgres- 
sion and sin. 77 

Even when brought into this state of mind, how- 
ever, it is no unusual thing to find the sinner 
strongly tempted to rest his hope of salvation on a 
change of conduct rather than on a change of heart, 
and being encouraged in this delusion by the adver- 



The Loed Working with Us. 117 

sary 3 (who would thus prevent kirn from being 
justified and saved "by grace,) he still perversely 
refuses submission to Christ, and makes it neces- 
sary, as in the case of Mansoul, that there should 
be " another fight." " Come up then to the moun- 
tains," as Bunyan says, " you that love to see 
military actions, and behold by both sides how the 
fatal blow is given : while one seeks to hold, and 
the other seeks to make himself master of the fa- 
mous town of Mansoul." 

But let it be noticed here, that before this final 
engagement commenced, Diabolus, utterly despair- 
ing of holding his position, resolved and gave 
command to his officers, to do to the inhabitants 
whatever harm and mischief they could, " for," said 
he, " we had better quite demolish the place, than 
that it should be an habitation for Immanuel." 
And this is but an illustration of the wicked malice 
and heartless cruelty with which Satan often pur- 
sues the penitent sinner. Discovering that -he can 
no longer keep his dominion over the soul, he seeks 
to vex and persecute, and thus inflict on it all the 
injury, and do to it all the damage in his power. 



118 Mansoul Assaulted ; ob 

Just so it was in the case of the poor demoniac in 
the Gospel, of whom it is said, that " as he was yet 
a coming the Devil threw him down and tare him." 
It has been well said — " There is never a knock at 
heaven's gate, but it sounds through hell, and devils 
come out to silence it." This determined resistance 
of the adversary to every manifestation of anxiety 
and effort for the salvation of the soul, has been 
characteristic of his evil working from the begin- 
ning, and it is only such as heed the apostle's exhor- 
tation and put on " the whole armor of God/' that 
will ever be able to stand successfully against his 
wiles. 

But while grieved, we are, at the same time, 
cheered when permitted to witness these last des- 
perate struggles of the enemy, for they plainly in- 
dicate that his power is broken, and that the spoil 
is about to be plucked out of his teeth. 

And thus it proved in the case of Mansoui, for, 
in spite of the resistance offered by Diabolus, it is 
said that " after three or four notable charges by 
the Prince and his noble Captains, Ear »Gate was 
broken open, and the bars and bolts wherewith it 



The Lord Working with Us. 119 

was used to be fast shut up against the Prince, were 
broken into a thousand pieces. Then did the 
Prince's trumpets sound, the Captains shout, the 
town shake and Diabolus retreat to his hold," 

It is a great and glorious achievement, when Ear 
Gate is but opened, for, as the apostle says, " faith 
cometh by hearing/ 7 and when, therefore, men are 
once made willing to listen to the Word of God, we 
may indulge the confident hope that it will not fail 
to produce its legitimate fruits, and, through the 
accompanying influence of the Holy Spirit, effect, 
ultimately, a thorough change both in the heart 
and life. 

These results are ingeniously alluded to in the 
events reported as immediately transpiring in Man- 
soul ; for upon effecting an entrance into the town, 
three of the captains marched directly, with flying 
colors, to the house of Mr. Conscience, and, after § 
few sturdy blows, succeeded in gaining admittance. 
And though at first he was much perplexed to know 
" what would be the end of such thundering begin- 
nings," yet he was soon made sensible of the cause ; 
for, said he, " I have transgressed greatly in keeping 



120 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

silence when I should have spoken, and in pervert- 
ing of justice when I should have executed the 
same." And of nothing, says Bunyan, would he 
talk to those who came to him but that " death and 
destruction now attended Mansoal" 

And while this was going on at the house of the 
Recorder, Captain Execution was quite as busy in 
other parts of the town, pursuing my Lord Will-be- 
will, and though he hid not destroy him, he caused 
him to flee for shelter, and succeeded in slaying 
many of his soldiers, and three of his chief officers, 
namely, Old Mr. Prejudice, who had been the keeper 
of Ear Gate, Mr. Backward-to-all-but-naught, and 
Captain Treacherous. And feats quite as valorous 
were performed also by Captains Goodhope and 
Charity, who put an end to Captain Blindfold, the 
fceeper of Eye Gate, and Mr. Ill-pause, whose spe- 
cious pleadings, in former times, had done Mansoul 
such inconceivable mischiet. 

Now, all this, as we have intimated, sets forth in 
figure the progressive change which is wrought 
in the heart of a sinner when once an entrance 
has been effected by the power of truth. Thus we 



The Lokd Working with Us. 121 

find the conscience is disturbed, and being forced, 
by its own accusations, to plead guilty, it awakens 
in the soul fearful apprehensions of 11 death and 
destruction." The carnal will has no rest, prejudice 
is slain, aversion to good, treachery, blindness, and, 
that most dangerous foe to the soul, old ill pause, are 
all destroyed, and the way is thus prepared for 
bringing the whole nature of man into complete 
subjection to Christ. 

How far, let each one here ask, is this portion of 
the allegory illustrated in his own experience ! 
Under the means of grace you have been made 
to fear and tremble, and your case, it may be, 
has awakened deep interest, and excited strong 
hope in the hearts of those who have desir- 
ed your welfare, and labored to bring you into obe- 
dience to Christ. But have you not still perversely 
declined submission? Have you not long and 
wickedly resisted the gracious influences by which 
the Almighty has sought to recover you to him- 
self? Alas, it is even so ! In your course of folly 
and rebellion, you have disregarded the most 
solemn remonstrances, and treated with guilty in- 



£22 Mansoul Assaulted ; or 

difference the tenderest overtures of peace. And 
yet, not willing that any should perish, but de- 
sirous that all should come to repentance, God 
continues to favor you with opportunities of mercy, 
O let them not pass without improvement. Be 
persuaded to receive with candor, the suggestions 
of truth now addressed to you ; suffer them to rest 
upon your conscience, and, above all, pray that 
they may be applied with a convincing and subdu 
ing energy to your heart. 



V. 



Plaitsoiil Uttbkeb. 



" 'Tis a new life : thoughts move not as they did, 

With slow, uncertain steps across my mind ; 

In thronging haste, fast pressing on, they bid 

The portals open to the viewless Wind, 

Which comes not, save when in the dust is laid 

The crown of pride that gilds each mortal brow, 

And from before our vision melting, fade 

The heavens and earth, — their walls are falling now ! 

Fast sweeping on, each thought claims utterance strong, 

Storm-lifted waves swift rushing to the shore ; 

On from the sea they send their shouts along, 

Back from the cave-worn rocks their thunders roar, 

And I a child of God, by Christ made free, 

Start from death's slumbers to eternity." — Jones Ver* 

{t Old things are passed away : behold all things are become new. ' — 
Paul. 



V. 



MANSOUL SUBDUED; 

OR, 

GRACE TRIUMPHANT. 



" And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by 
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled." — Col. i : 21. 

"Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow 
citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." — Eph. ii : 19. 



TT was long ago predicted of the Great Captain 
of our Salvation, that he should " send forth 
judgment unto victory V 3 and in agreement with 
this prophecy is that declaration of the Apostle, 
" Being confident of this very thing, that he which 
hath begun a good work in yon, will perform it un- 
to the day of Jesus Christ." Now such a good 
work is begun in a man whenever the power of 



126 Maxsoul Subdued ; or 

truth has arrested his attention, quickened his con- 
science, and removed, to any extent, the enmity 
which he has been wont to cherish against the 
claims of the Gospel. "When, therefore, we behold 
a sinner trembling under a sense of his guilt, and 
hear him anxiously inquiring, " what must I do to 
be saved ?" we are led to cherish the hope, that in 
due time, through the power of Divine grace, he 
will be reclaimed from his rebellion, and made a 
child of God, and an heir of eternal glory. 

Some of the first indications of success in efforts 
for subduing the rebellious, were alluded to in our 
last lecture, and we shall now be led to notice the 
steps which generally mark the progress of this 
conquest to completion. 

The gates of Mansoul having been broken through, 
and some of the leaders in the rebellion slain, it 
was now agreed by the old Recorder, and my Lord 
Understanding, with some others of the chief men 
of the town, to draw up a petition and send it to 
Immanuel, while he was yet nigh, in the camp. 
So they drew up their petition, the contents of 
which were these, " that they, the old inhabitants 



Grace Triumphant. 127 

of the town of Mansoul, confessed their sins, and 
were sorry that they had offended his Princely 
Majesty, and prayed that he would spare their 
lives." But this prayer he took no notice of, and 
his Captains, from the house of old Mr. Conscience, 
still continued without intermission, and with in- 
creasing power, to play the battering rams against 
the gates of the castle. " So after some time, labor 
and travail, the gate of the castle that was called Im- 
pregnable was beaten open, and broken into several 
splinters ; and so a way made to go up to the hold 
in which Diabolus had hid himself. Then were 
tidings sent down to Ear Gate, for Immanuel still 
abode there, to let him know that a way was made 
in at the gates of the castle of Mansoul. But ! 
how the trumpets at the tidings sounded through- 
out the Prince's camp, for that now the war was sc 
near an end, and Mansoul itself of being set 
free." 

We have a cheering ground of hope when the 
sinner, awakened to a discovery of his peril, begins 
to pray ; prayer being the first sign of spiritual 
life. " That your prayers be not hindered." But 



128 Maxsoul Subdued ; or 

acceptable prayer is prompted, not by fear, but by 
faith ; and this grace, having its seat in the heart, 
cannot be exercised, until all that there opposes 
its influence is cast out. Though, therefore, men 
may cry for their " lives," their prayers may not 
attract the Divine notice, and, with unabated ener- 
gy, the truth of God must be poured in upon them 
through the conscience, until the impregnable gate 
of the heart is carried, and thus a way provided 
for reaching and driving from it every vile and 
lurking foe. And vrhen this is effected, 0, vrhat 
occasion is there for rejoicing, seeing that the con- 
test, no longer doubtful, must soon result in the 
complete subjection of the soul to Christ. 

The forces of Immanuel having succeeded, as we 
have noticed, in breaking into the castle, the 
Prince himself, we are told, was pleased to appear 
in the town, and thus honor their success, and by 
his own power, complete the victory. " In passing 
through the streets, however, he kept his counte- 
nance much reserved all the way as he went, so that 
the people could not tell how to gather to them- 
selves love or hatred by his looks.' 7 



Grace Triumphant. 129 

And, as in such cases, all are apt to do, they in- 
terpreted the carriages of Immanuel to them as 
did Joseph's brethren his to them, even all quite 
the contrary way. For, thought they, if Immanuel 
loved us, he would show it to us by some word or 
carriage, but none of these he doeth, therefore Im- 
manuel hates us. They also knew that they had 
transgressed, and that Prince Immanuel knew all 
this, and this made them think that their condition 
was miserable, and that the good Prince would 
make them desolate. Yet they wished a thousand 
times over that he would become their Prince and 
Captain. They would also, one to another, talk of 
the comeliness of his person, and how much for 
glory and valor he outstrip* the great ones of the % 
world. But, poor hearts ! as to themselves, their 
thoughts would change, and go upon all manner of 
-extremes, " Yea, through the working of them 
backward and forward, Mansoul became as a ball 
tossed, and as a rolling thing before the whirl- 
wind. 75 

. i: Xow when he was come to the castle gates, he 
commanded Diabolus to appear, and to surrender 



130 Mansoul Subdued ; or 

himself into his hands. But ! how loth was the 
beast to appear! How he stuck at it! how he 
shrunk ! aye, how he cringed 1 Yet out he came 
to the Prince. Then Immanuel commanded, and 
they took Diabolus and bound him. fast in chains, 
the better to reserve him to the judgment that he 
had appointed for him. 

Then was Mansoul called upon to behold the. 
beginning of Immanuel ? s triumph over him in 
whom they so much had trusted, and of whom they 
so much had boasted in the days when he flattered 
them. 

But you cannot think unless you had been there, 
as I was, what a shout there was in Immanuers 
camp when they saw the tyrant bound by the hand 
of their noble Prince, and tied to his chariot 
wheels ! And they said, He hath led captivity 
captive ; he hath spoiled principalities and powers \ 
Diabolus is subjected to the power of his sword, 
and made the object of all derision t 

Those also that rode Reformades, and that came 
down to see the battle, they shouted with that 
greatness of voice, and sung with such melodious 



Grace Triumphant. 131 

notes, that they caused them that dwell in the 
highest orbs to open their windows, put out their 
heads, and look down to see the cause of that glory. 
So when the brave Prince had finished this part of 
his triumph over Diabolus his foe, he turned him 
up in the midst of his contempt and shame, having 
given him a charge no more to be a possessor of 
Mansoul. 73 

A true and vivid picture is here presented of the 
exercises of a soul under conviction of sin, yet des- 
titute of any real hope of mercy. There is in such 
cases a distressing apprehension of deserved pun- 
ishment associated with an earnest desire for an 
exercise of unmerited grace ; and with a certain 
dread of the Saviour's inspection, there is also a 
secret sense of his attractions, and a sincere and 
strong wish to yield the heart up to his control, 
Bunyan, in his ,; Grace Abounding" tells us that he 
was himself, for seven or eight weeks, in this very 
state of mind — " Peace in and out twenty times a 
day : comfort now and trouble presently j peace 
now, and before I could go a furlong, as full of fear 
and guilt, as ever heart could hold." 



132 Maksoul Subdued ; or 

But the secret of this distress is perfectly appa- 
rent to others, if not to the trembling penitent 
himself. The truth is, Satan still holds some place 
in the heart, and until he is completely cast out, 
and bound, and the house thoroughly " swept and 
garnished/' his influence will be employed to pre- 
vent the sinner from cordially receiving the 
Saviour, and throwing himself into the arms of 
mercy. Only let Jesus speak, however, as he did 
of old, and, obedient to his mandate, this spirit 
shall " come out of him/ 7 and be subjected to the 
power of his sword, " and made the object of all de- 
rision. 77 Then, beholding the Redeemer triumph- 
ing over the forces of hell, his followers shall be 
heard to shout, " He hath led captivity captive ; 
he hath spoiled principalities and powers/ 7 and the 
very angels of heaven, (here called Reformades) 
shall be made to sing with " melodious notes, 77 as 
they look down with unutterable wonder and joy 
upon the great and glorious change. 

But while so much had been achieved for Man- 
soul, the inhabitants were not yet in a state of per- 
fect peace. Indeed, Captain Boanerges and Cap- 



Geace Triumphant. 133 

tarn Conviction, it is said, still carried it with that 
terror and dread in all that they did, and you may be 
sure that they had private instructions so to do, that 
they kept the town under continual heart-aching, 
and caused, in their apprehension, the well-being 
of Mansoulfor the future, to hang in doubt before 
them, so that, for some considerable time, they 
neither knew what rest, or ease, or peace, or hope 
meant. 

Nor, as yet, had the Prince himself taken up his 
permanent abode in Mansoul ; and, what added no 
little to the fears of the town, Captain Boanerges 
had orders to summons the whole of the townsmen 
into the castle-yard, and then and there, before their 
faces, to take my Lord Understanding, Mr, Con- 
science, and that notable one, the Lord Will-be-well, 
and put them all three in ward, and that they 
should set a strong guard upon them there, until 
his pleasure concerning them were further known. 
" And, now, to their thinking, were their former 
fears of the ruin of Mansoul confirmed. Now what 
death they should die, and how long they should be 
in dying, was that which most perplexed their heads 



134 Mansoul Subdued ■ or 

and hearts ; yea, they were afraid that Immanuel 
would command them all into the deep, the place 
that the Prince Diabolus was afraid of ; for they 
knew that they had deserved it. Also to die by 
the sword in the face of the town, and in the open 
way of disgrace, from the hand of so good and so 
holy a Prince, that, too, troubled them sore. The 
town was also greatly troubled for the men commit- 
ted to ward, for that they were their stay and their 
guide ; and for that they believed that if those men 
were cut off, their execution would be the begin- 
ning of the ruin of the town of Mansoul." 

It is thus that awakened sinners, before obtain- 
ing a clear sense of mercy, often suffer under the 
faithful exhibition of divine truth. They feel them- 
selves condemned under almost every sermon, and 
at times, when God's holy law is urged upon them, 
they have such a view of its claims, and such a pain- 
ful conviction of their delinquencies, that they are 
not only filled with terror, but are well nigh driven 
to despair. The very circumstances, however, 
which they are often ready to construe into discour- 
agements may frequently be most favorable to their 



Grace Triumphant. 135 

interest. Thus the understanding, the conscience 
and the will must be brought into thorough subjec- 
tion, and though the process maybe exceedingly 
mortifying and distressing, yet it is absolutely in- 
dispensable to the true exercise of their respective 
offices, and not less so to the formation of a consis- 
tent Christian character. Let the anxious inquirer 
then, instead of giving way to fear, betake himself 
to prayer, and all shall be well; 

This, we find, was the course adopted by the 
people of Mansoul, and their second petition to the 
Prince was as follows — " Great and wonderful po- 
tentate, victor over Diabolus, and conqueror of the 
town of Mansoul : we, the miserable inhabitants of 
that most wofal corporation, humbly beg that we 
may find favor in thy sight, and remember not 
against us former transgressions, nor yet the sins 
of the chief of our town, but spare us according to 
the greatness of thy mercy, and let us not die, but 
live in thy sight ; so shall we be willing to be thy 
servants, and, if thou shalt think fit. to gather our 
meat under thy table. Amen." 

This, like their former appeal, was only answered 



136 Mansoul Subdued ; or 

with silence, and though it was the occasion of 
great distress, they yet determined, because they 
could do nothing else, to send another petition by 
the hands of an humble personage named Mr. De- 
sires-awake. So, coming to the Prince's pavilion, 
this man fell flat with his face to the ground, and 
cried out, " that Mansoul might live before thee !" 
And with that he presented the petition, and when 
the Prince had read it, he turned away for a while 
and wept, but refraining himself, he turned again 
to the man (who all this while lay crying at his 
feet) and said to him, " Go thy way to thy place, 
and I will consider of thy requests. " 

Now when Mr. Desires-awake returned to the 
town, there was, as we may well suppose, great 
anxiety to know the result of his mission, and when 
it was made known to the three men that had been 
"put in ward/ 7 one, my Lord Mayor, said that the 
answer did not look with a rugged face ; but Mr. 
Will-be-will said it betokened evil, and the Record- 
er pronounced it a messenger of death. And when 
these opinions began to be circulated, there was 
great consternation in Mansoul, and the judgments 




Wet-Eyes and Desires-awake sent with a Petition 



Grace Triumphant. 139 

expressed by the prisoners, were currently and at 
different times, reported as the decisions of the 
Prince. 

" But, so far as I could gather, by the best infor- 
mation that I could get, all this hubbub came 
through the words that the Recorder said, when he 
told them that in his judgment the Prince's answer 
was a messenger of death. It was this that fired 
the town, and that began the fright in Mansoul, for 
Mansoul, in former times, did use to count that Mr. 
Recorder was a seer, and that his sentence was 
equal to the best of oracles, and thus was Man- 
soul a terror to itself/' 7 

But still they resolved, that being their only hope, 
to continue petitioning, and accordingly they drew 
up a third and more humble appeal, which though 
some desired might be sent by Mr. Good-deed, was 
finally jointly borne by Mr. Desires-awake and Mr. 
"Wet-eyes, a son of Mr. Repentance. And this was 
the prayer — 

" Prince Immanuel the Great, Lord of all worlds, 
and Master of mercy, We. thy poor, wretched, mis- 
erable, dying town of Mansoul, do confess unto thy 



140 Mansoul Subdued • or 

great and glorious majesty that we have sinned 
against thy Father and thee, and are no more 
worthy to be called thy Mansoul, but rather to be 
cast into the pit. If thou wilt slay us, we have 
deserved it. If thou wilt condemn us to the deep, 
we cannot but say thou art righteous. We cannot 
complain, whatever thou dost, or however thou 
carriest it towards us. But ! let mercy reign ; 
and let it be extended to us ! let mercy take hold 
upon us, and free us from our transgressions, and we 
will sing of thy mercy and of thy judgment. Allien." 

Upon receiving this petition the Prince is repre- 
sented as speaking in terms of severe censure 
against the people of Mansoul for their wicked re- 
bellion against his Father, and also for their deter- 
mined hostility to himself and his servants. " Yet," 
said he, " I will consider your petition, and will 
answer it so as will be for my glory." 

Orders were also borne back by them to Cap- 
tain* Boanerges and Captain Conviction, to bring 
the three prisoners on the next day into the camp, 
while Captain Judgment and Captain Execution 
were entrusted with the keeping of the town. 



Grace Triumphant. 141 

"But how this return, and especially this last 
clause of it, that the prisoners must go out to the 
Prince into the camp., brake all their loins in pieces ! 
Wherefore, with one voice, they set up a cry that 
reached up to the heavens. This done, each of the 
three prepared himself to die ; and the Recorder 
said unto them, i This was the thing that I feared ; ? 
for they concluded that to-morrow, by that the sun 
went down, they should be tumbled out of the 
world. The whole town also counted of no other 
but that, in their time and order, they must all 
drink of the same cup. Wherefore the town of 
Mansoul spent that night in mourning, and sack- 
cloth, and ashes. 

" Ye ask and receive not," says the apostle, " be- 
cause ye ask amiss," and this is one great reason 
why the first prayers put up by awakened sinners 
are so seldom answered. They ask for a good 
thing, but they ask in a wrong way. There is no 
faith in their asking, and no sense of God's f^ee- 
ness in bestowing. Or, if this is not the defect, 
there is cherished, perhaps, a false ground of 
expectation, a secret but strong hope of salvation 



142 Maxsoul Subdued ; or 

based on some supposed good deeds, and which, 
looking as it does to reward, effectually contradicts 
every plea for mercy. Or, it may be that they err 
in their impatience for an answer, not being willing 
" quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord f 
and at the same time they may be led to construe 
a deepening sense of sin, which God designs to use 
for more gloriously manifesting his grace, into a 
barrier against the divine mercy. 

What is necessary to the penitent's success in 
prayer is that, with earnest desires for salvation, 
he come "with weeping and with supplications," 
humbly acknowledging his guilt, and casting him- 
self, without reserve, upon the divine clemency. 
When the soul is brought into this state, the de- 
signs of grace in its awakening are answered, and 
then it may be truly said that " the Lord hath done 
marvellous things ; his right hand and his holy arm 
hath gotten him the victory." 

How such a gracious victory is used and celebra- 
ted may be known from what was done by Prince 
Immanuel in the case of the three prisoners, for 
being brought into his presence, and while humbly 



Grace Triumphant. 143 

and frankly confessing their sins, and trembling 
under an awful apprehension of merited doom, lo ! 
their ears were suddenly greeted with tidings of 
mercy, and that, not only for themselves, but for 
the whole town. And though the announcement of 
the victory had occasioned extraordinary rejoicing 
in the camp, yet, now, when it was made known to 
the prisoners that they were pardoned, the excite- 
ment and joy on their part was unbounded. In- 
deed, it is said that, " when they heard the gracious 
words of Prince Immanuel, and had beheld all that 
was done unto them, they fainted almost quite 
away ; for the grace, the benefits, the pardon was 
sudden, glorious, and so big, that they were not 
able, without staggering, to stand up under it." 

It is thus, my brethren, that we behold the won- 
derful work of conversion consummated. The un- 
derstanding, the will, and the conscience are all 
brought into cheerful obedience to, Christ. The 
word of pardon is spoken, and the poor soul, but 
just now filled with awful forebodings of wrath, is 
suddenly made to rejoice in hope of eternal glory, 
is brought to feel what Bunyan himself felt when, 



144 Maxsoul Subdued ; or 

referring to his first experience of divine mercy, be 
says — " I had such strange apprehensions of the 
grace of God, that I could hardly bear up under it ; 
it was so out of measure amazing, when I thought 
it could reach me, that I do think, if that sense of 
it had abode long upon me it would have made me 
incapable of business. " The language employed by 
a distinguished living divine * in describing this 
gracious change in his own case, is most touching 
and beautiful. " The overbearing spirit in me," 
says he, " is humbled, the heart of stone is broken. 
I can truly say that I am nothing great in my own 
eyes. I am the most unworthy among the children 
of men. I am still very much cast down, but I can- 
not tell you what a mild zephyr breathes upon my 
cheek in the midst of all my sadness. Sometimes 
when I sit alone, distressed with the thought of 
my guilt, a secret voice whispers, 1 God is thy 
friend. 7 At such hours a peaceful joy, a heavenly de- 
light, unknown till now, fills my soul, and I must 
weep much and long. In every calm I had before 
there was a restlessness at the bottom, but now my 

* Tholuok. 



Grace Triumphant. 145 

restlessness bespeaks a cairn. My whole inward 
life is like a summer evening when the sun is just 
setting. I know not whether I am already regener- 
ated, but this I know, it is something unspeakably 
blissful to be a true believer in Christ. By means 
of the insight into my misery and corruption, I 
seem to have obtained permission to raise, at times, 
for a moment, the curtain of a great sanctuary. 
After such a glimpse my soul is filled with so joyous 
a trembling that I would be willing to wait patiently 
before the curtain for years, after having once seen 
the glories behind. ;; 

"What a blessed change, — what a glorious tran- 
sition is this ! Beginning with the recovery of the 
will, we mark its progress in the shedding of light 
upon the understanding, and peace in the con- 
science, while its joyousness is discovered diffusing 
itself over all the powers of the mind, and over all 
the affections of the soul. Hence we read that 
when the Prince's pardon was announced to the 
people, that no man " of Mansoul could sleep that- 
night for joy ; in every house there was joy and 

music, singing and making merry telling and hear- 

7 



146 Mansoul Subdued ; or 

ing of MansouFs happiness, was then all that Man 
soul had to do ; and this was the burden of all their 
song— 0, more of this at the rising of the sun ! 
more of this to-morrow ! "Who thought yesterday, 
one would say, that this day would have been such 
a day to us ? And who thought, that saw our pris- 
oners go down in irons, that they would have 
returned in chains of gold ! yea, they that judged 
themselves as they went to be judged of their 
Judge, were by his mouth acquitted, not for that 
they were innocent, but of the Prince's mercy, and 
sent home with pipe and tabor. But is this the 
common custom of princes .? do they use to show 
such kind of favors to traitors ? No ! this is only 
peculiar to Shaddai, and unto Immanuel his Son." 

And on the morrow, it is said, " the bells rang, 
the people sang, and the music played in every 
house in Mansoul," and not only so, but the trum- 
pets in the camp sounded, and the Captains came 
forth in their glory, and all the soldiers shouted 
aloud for joy ! 

What a description is this of the " glorious joys" 
experienced and diffused when a guilty sinner, 



Grace Triumphant. 147 

ready to perish, is pardoned and saved ! And who 
is there, that can find it in his heart to censure 
such holy exultation ? or, who can refrain from 
heartily joining in it ? It is an event of such vast 
importance that it excites the interest of heaven, 
and swells its music into a seven-fold chorus of hal- 
lelujahs and harping symphonies. And in full 
sympathy with the redeemed in glory, the heralds 
of the cross and the followers of Christ on earth, 
join in lofty ascriptions of praise to that grace 
which has made them, it may be, instrumental in 
saving a soul from death. 

Beyond this, however, and more manifest, is the 
holy rapture experienced by the ransomed one 
himself. He has been delivered from an horrible 
pit, and from the miry clay. His feet have been 
set upon a rock, and a new song has been put into 
his mouth. Now he can do nothing but rejoice, 
and like the Psalmist, his soul is ready to break for 
the longing it hath, yea, his whole experience is 
but a charming illustration of that sublime refer- 
ence to Gospel blessings where it is declared that 
" the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come 



148 Maxsoul Subdued. 

to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their 
heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sor- 
row and sighing shall flee away." 



VI. 



^orpm^ation of t|e Cobn dokrnmcttt. 



" With all thy heart, with all thy soule and rninde, 
Thou must him love, and his behests embrace : 
All other loves, with which the world doth blind 
TTeake fancies, and stir up affections base. 
Thou must renounce and utterly displace : 
And give thyself unto him full and free, 
That full and freely gave himself to thee." 

Spencer's Hyjin of Heavenly Loye. 

" "What this repentance was which the new covenant required as one of 
the conditions to be performed by all those who should receive the benefits of 
that covenant, is plain in the Scripture, to be not only sorrow for sins past, 
but (what is a natural consequence of such sorrow if it be real) a turning 
from them into a new and contrary life." — Locke's Reasonableness of 
Christianity. 



REORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN GOVERNMENT; 



" That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of 
darkness into his marvellous light." — 1 Peter ii : 9. 

" For sin shall not have dominion over you." — Ron. vi : 14. 



iHE work of conversion is but the beginning of 



a great and glorious change. When, therefore, 
such a change is professed, we are warranted in 
looking, at once, for the indications of a progres- 
sive transformation. 

Very beautifully has Bunyan illustrated this im- 
portant feature of the Christian life, in the remark- 
able events and changes which he describes as 



OR, 



THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 




154 Reorganization of tee Town ; or 

taking place in Mansoul immediately after its con- 
quest by Immanuel. The inhabitants of the town, 
he tells us, after their defeat, were first most 
delightfully entertained with' an exhibition of the 
dexterity and bravery of the army. " They marched 
and countermarched, they opened to the right and 
left, they divided and sub-divided, they closed, 
they wheeled, made good their front and rear with 
their right and left wings, and twenty things more, 
until the men of Mansoul were completely ravished 
with the sight." And the object of this, says Bun- 
yan, in his marginal note, was to display the 
Prince's graces. In other words, he designs by 
this exhibition to set before us the admirable adap- 
tation and beautiful perfection of the means which 
God has appointed, and which he is pleased to 
bless, not only for bringing a sinner into a state of 
submission, but for carrying on the conquest to the 
complete recovery of the soul to himself. And 
when the believer is favored with such a view of 
the means and influences by which he is surround- 
ed, his hope and confidence are so inspired that he 
is made to rejoice ; seeing that the great Captain 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 155 

of his salvation is " girded with strength unto the 
battle." 

Besides this display of his power and glory, how- 
ever, the trophies of his victorious grace receive 
such blessed assurances of peace, as lead them 
most devoutly to desire the constant presence oi 
Immanuel in their souls, and yet, like the people of 
Mansoul, under a painful sense of their own weak' 
ness, they are afraid to pledge themselves to & 
faithful compliance with his ways, except as they 
shall be moved thereto by the power of his love. 
But where, in any heart, this sense of total depend- 
ence is found, there Jesus graciously deigns to take 
up his abode, that he may still further manifest fai^ 
glory. This design is beautifully exhibited by Bur 
yan, in the account he gives of the triumph ar 
entrance of Immanuel and his train into Mansoul. 

" And this was the manner of his going up thith- 
er. He was clad in his golden armor, he rode in 
his royal chariot, the trumpets sounded about him, 
the colors were displayed, his ten thousands went 
up at his feet, and the elders of Mansoul danced 

before him. And now were the walls of the 

7* 



156 Reorganization of the Town; or 

famous town of Mansoul filled with the tramplings 
of the inhabitants thereof, who went up thither to 
view the approach of the blessed Prince, and his 
royal army. Also the casements, windows, balco- 
nies, and tops of the houses were all now filled with 
persons of all sorts to behold how their town was 
to be filled with good. 

Now when he was come so far into the town as 
to the Recorder's house, he commanded that one 
should go to Captain Credence, to know whether 
the castle of Mansoul was prepared to entertain his 
Royal Presence, for the preparation of that was 
left to that Captain, and word was brought that it 
was. Then was Captain Credence commanded also 
to come forth with his power to meet the Prince, 
the which was, as he had commanded, done, and 
he conducted him into the castle. This done, the 
Prince that night did lodge in the castle with his 
mighty Captains and men of war, to the joy of the 
town of Mansoul." 

Now, though literally expressed, all this is in 
perfect agreement with the spiritual teachings of 
revelation . It answers exactly to that precious 



The Funis of Righteousness. 157 

promise of our Redeemer, where lie has said, " If 
any man love me, he will keep my words ; and 
my Father will love him, and we will come unto 
him, and make our abode with him. 7 ' And when 
he thus deigns to manifest himself, 0, how glori- 
ous, how triumphant, how jubilant the occasion ! 
Then it is that he appears to the believer, " glori- 
ous in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of 
his strength 1" and his people are led to adore 
him as the fairest among ten thousand fair, and 
altogether lovely. 

You will notice also, that the office of faith is 
here most appropriately alluded to by our author, 
in the circumstance of the. castle being prepared 
for the Prince's presence by Captain Credence. 
And this, while agreeing with the method of grace 
made known in the Scriptures, is, at the same time, 
illustrated in the believer's actual experience. 
Thus, for instance, the Apostle Peter declares God 
dealt with the Gentiles — " Purifying their hearts 
by faith while the earnest prayer of Paul for the 
Ephesians was, " that Christ might dwell in their 
hearts by faith" It is by this divine grace that 



158 Eeorganization of the Town; or 

the soul, all polluted by sin, is cleansed from its 
defilement, so that it becomes a holy temple in the 
Lord ; a fit abode for " Jesus Christ, the Prince of 
the kings of the earth." The enjoyment of the 
believer under these circumstances is indescriba- 
bly great ; it is the time of his espousals ; he has 
sweet, yea, enrapturing views of his Saviour, and 
ever afterwards, in looking back to that period, he 
is constrained to sing — 

" Tongue can never express, 
The sweet comfort and peace 

Of a soul in its earliest love, — 
That sweet comfort was mine, 
When the favor divine 

I first found in the blood of the Lamb- 
When at first I believed what true joy I received, 
What a heaven in Jesus' sweet name !" 

It is to this delightful experience that reference is 
had in the sumptuous feast which Immanuel is said 
to have made for Mansoul ; while the " riddles of 
secrets" with which he entertained them, may be 
understood, perhaps, as applying to those types of 
Christ found in the Old Testament, and which 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 159 

are so full of interest and instruction to all 
who are sufficiently enlightened to understand 
them. It was in this manner, we are told, that 
Bunyan himself used to entertain godly company, 
using the shadows and figures of the old dispensa- 
tion to set forth the sublime facts of the new. And 
alluding to this custom, he says — 

" Hard texts are nuts (I will not call them cheaters,) 
Whose shells do keep their kernels from the eaters ; 
Open the shells, and you shall have the meat, 
They are brought here for you to crack and eat." 

" But," says Bunyan, " can you imagine how the 
people of the Corporation were taken with his 
entertainment ? Oh, they were transported with 
joy, they were drowned with wonder, while they 
saw, and understood, and considered what their 
Immanuel entertained them withal, and what mys- 
teries he opened to them ; and when they were at 
home in their houses, and in their most retired 
places, they could not but sing of him and of his 
actions. Tea, so taken were the townsmen now 
with their Prince, that they would sing of him in 
their sleep." 



160 Reorganization of the Town ; or 

The next thing attempted for Mansoul was a new 
arrangement for its defence, and a complete reor- 
ganization of its government. In connection with 
the powerful weapons which had been brought 
from his Father's court, viz : the battering rams 
and slings, there was also an instrument invented 
that was to throw stones from the castle of Man- 
soul, out at Mouth Gate ; an instrument that could 
not be resisted, nor that would miss of execution, 

wherefore for the wonderful exploits that it did 
when used, it went without a name, and it was 
committed to the care of, and to be managed by, 
the brave Captain Credence. 

There was a great change moreover in the gov- 
ernment. Thus, for instance, my Lord Will-be-will 
was promoted to a post of great responsibility and 
command, while my Lord Understanding was made 
Mayor, with a charge that he should " read in the 
revelation of mysteries all the days of his life, that 
he might know how to perform his office aright." 
Mr. Knowledge, also, was made Eecorder, not of 
contempt to old Mr. Conscience, who had been 
Eecorder before ; but because it was in his Prince- 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 161 

ly mind to confer upon him another appointment, 
of which he told the old gentleman he should know 
more hereafter. In addition to this, he command- 
ed "that the image of Diabolus should be taken 
down from the place where it was set up, and that 
they should destroy it utterly, beating it into pow- 
der, and casting it unto the wind, without the town 
wall ; and that the image of Shaddai his Father 
should be set up again, with his own, upon the cas- 
tle gates, and that it should be more fairly drawn 
than ever ; forasmuch as both his Father and him- 
self were come to Mansoul in more grace and mer- 
cy than heretofore." 

By the nameless engine, to which allusion is here 
made, we are evidently to understand that effectual 
weapon elsewhere styled by Bunyan, all prayer. 
And a wonderful instrument it is, possessing a 
power so great that no term can sufficiently de- 
scribe its amazing efficiency. Prayer ! why it 
secures for the believer the resources of divinity. 
In a certain sense, it changes impotence into omni- 
potence, and is a weapon that the enemy cannot 
possibly resist. Now, when thus brought into 



162 Eeorganization of the Town ; or 

alliance with God, tlie natural powers of the soul 
begin, at once, to resume their proper offices, and 
to exercise their appropriate functions. Thus 
the will is made strong to resist the encroachments 
of sin ; the understanding is reinstated, having 
charge at the same time, to look for guidance to 
the teachings of infallible wisdom ; and divine 
knowledge, certain and clear, takes the place of the 
moral but too fitful suggestions of conscience, while 
the whole man, no longer exhibiting the repulsive 
features of sin, is now transformed and renewed 
after the image of him that created him. 

But this work of reorganization was connected 
farther with the arrest, imprisonment and execu- 
tion of quite a number of notorious Diabolonians ; 
also, with the complete destruction of the chief of 
the enemy's strong holds. " One of the prisoners," 
however, says Bunyan, "Incredulity by name, in 
the interim betwixt the sentence and time of exe- 
cution, brake prison, and made his escape, and gets 
him away quite out of the town of Mansoul, and 
lay lurking in such places and holds as he might, 
until he should again have opportunity to do the 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 163 

town of Mansoul a mischief for their thus handling 
* 

of him as they did. But, when the time was come, 
the others were brought forth for execution. 

" So the town of Mansoul slew them according to 
the word of their Prince ; but when the prisoners 
were brought to the cross to die, you can hardly 
believe w T hat troublesome work Mansoul had of it 
to put the Diabolonians to death ; for the men 
knowing that they must die, and every one of them 
having implacable enmity in their hearts to Man- 
soul, what did they but took courage to the cross, 
and there resisted the men of the town of Mansoul ! 
Wherefore the men of Mansoul were forced to cry 
out for help to the captains and men of war. Now 
the great Shaddai had a secretary in the town, and 
he was a great lover of the men of Mansoul, and 
he was at the place of execution also ; so he hearing 
the men of Mansoul cry out against the strugglings 
and unruliness of the prisoners, rose up from his 
place, and came and put his hands upon the hands 
of the men of Mansoul. So they crucified the 
Diabolonians that had been a plague, a grief, and 
an offence to the town of Mansoul." 



164 Keobganization of the Town ; or 

The accuracy with which Bunyan here describes 
the trials of these criminals, is quite surprising, and 
plainly shows us that he had been a close observer 
of the forms of law, and was perfectly familiar with 
the rules and customs generally observed in well 
ordered civil courts. But, after all, that which 
must be regarded as most remarkable, is the holy 
ingenuity he displays in making this whole scene 
minister so directly and beautifully to our spiritual 
instruction. 

" They that are Christ's," says the apostle, " h&ve 
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." 
" Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body. 
For sin shall not have dominion over you." And 
it is only as we strive to conform to these teachings 
that we evince the proof of our sincerity as Chris- 
tians, or are able to gain any decided advantage 
over the sinful influences which so constantly op- 
pose us. 

The names given to these criminal characters, 
whom Bunyan describes as executed in Mansoul, 
we regard as remarkably appropriate to designate 
the carnal sentiments and propensities against 



The Fbuits op Righteousness. 165 

which all believers have, more or less, to contend. 
1 Alas I" as Burder says, " how much practical 
atheism is there even among professed Christians ! 
For if men live without prayer, and in opposition 
to hi-s will, they live ■ without God in the world/ 
and what is this but atheism ?" And " the lusts of 
the flesh" how they war upon the soul, making it 
necessary to keep the body under, and most stead- 
fastly resist its unholy promptings. . And what shall 
we say of unbelief? This, as Bunyan expresses it, 
is really " the very worst of all the gang," the giant 
sin, which, though we may condemn, we fail to 
destroy, and is, therefore, found continually warring 
against our peace. Then, too, how "forgetful are 
we of good" a sin that has its seat not in the heart 
but in the mind, resulting not simply from indif- 
ference, but from a natural and positive aversion to 
things that are spiritual and holy. And who is there 
that has not been troubled with a hard and impene- 
trable heart ? or who has not suffered from a guilty 
apathy into which he has been led by the indul- 
gence of a false peace ; or who, when he has heard 
Jehovah asking for " truth in the inward parts " 



165 Reorganization of the Town ; or 

has not been obliged to confess his likeness to that 
wicked one, of whom it is said " there is no truth 
in him ?" And, finally, who has not known some- 
thing of a pitiless and liaugMy spirit, which God 
abhors, and which is hated even among men ? 

Now, if we are true Christians, these opposing 
influences will not be tolerated, because there is in 
the renewed soul a holy detestation of sin, a desire 
to escape from its power, a determination to resist 
it under every guise, and to destroy it in all its 
modes of development. Thus, if the jury were 
unanimous in their verdict against the prisoners 
of Hansoul, so are all believers in dooming their 
besetting sins to death. Says the Christian — 

6 Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die, 

My heart hath so decreed ; 
Nor will I spare the guilty things 
That made my Saviour bleed.' ' 

But what a desperate struggle ensues ! How 
long and how fiercely do these sins strive with us ! 
Like the apostle, our flesh has no rest, and we are 
troubled on every side, without fightings, within 
fears. Nor can we possibly succeed in the contest 



The Fruits of Kighteousness. 167 

without divine assistance. We must look and ask 
for the aid of God's spirit, and if he graciously 
deigns to invest us with power, putting his hands 
upon our hands, as did Elisha to the King, when 
shooting the arrow of deliverance, then we shall 
certainly conquer, because we have this most ex- 
plicit and cheering promise, that " If, through the 
Spirit, we mortify the deeds of the body, we shall 
live/' 

The people of Mansou! having succeeded in put- 
ting an end to some of their most insidious and 
dangerous foes, are visited by Prince Immanuel, who 
highly approved their proceedings, and promoted 
one of them, a Mr. Experience, to a place of distin- 
guished trust and honor, making him a captain over 
a thousand of the choicest men. By this we are 
simply taught the important service that is to be 
derived from our past religious history, especially 
in times of darkness and danger. Those exercises 
through which we have already passed, my brethren, 
mark but the beginning of a life-long contest, and 
what we have thus but just begun to learn from ex- 
perience, will serve, if properly viewed, to admon- 



168 Reorganization of the Town; or 

ish and encourage us in our whole subsequent his- 
tory. Our author, it will be seen in his note, re- 
fers us to the language which the stripling David 
addressed to Saul : " Thy servant," said he, " slew 
both the lion and the bear ; the Lord who deliver- 
ed me from the paw of the lion and bear, will de- 
liver me out of the hand of this Philistine." And 
in the same spirit, and with a more assured confi- 
dence, the Christian, as he refers to his past expe- 
rience, may be heard to sing — 

cl His love in times past forbids me to think 
He'll leave me, at last, in trouble to sink; 
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review, 
Confirms his good pleasure to help me quite through." 

The next thing done by the Prince for Mansoul 
was the renewal of the charter, or rather, " the giving 
of another and a better, a new one, more steady and 
firm by far," securing to them grants, advantages 
and privileges of the very highest importance, and 
such as were never before conferred upon any town 
in the whole universe. 

" So, when the town of Mansoul had received at 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 169 

the hand of Immanuel, their gracious charter, which 
in itself is infinitely more large than by this lean 
epitome is set before you, they carried it to audi- 
ence, that is, to the market-place, and there Mr. 
Recorder read it in the presence of all the people. 
This being done, it was had back to the castle 
gates, and there fairly engraven upon the doors 
thereof, and laid in letters of gold, to the end that 
the town of Mansoul, with all the people thereof, 
might have it always in their view, or might go 
where they might see what a blessed freedom their 
Prince had bestowed upon them, that their joy 
might be increased in themselves, and their love 
renewed to their great and good Immanuel. 

But what joy, what comfort, what consolation, 
think you, did now possess the hearts of the men 
of Mansoul ! The bells ringed, the minstrels 
played, the people danced, the captains shouted, 
the colors waved in the wind, and the silver trum- 
pets sounded, and the Diabolonians now were glad 
to hide their heads, for they looked like them that 
had been long dead." 

The evident allusion here is to the many and in- 



170 Eeoeganization of the Town; or 

estimable blessings which are secured to us in the 
covenant of grace, and the unbounded joy which 
is awakened in the heart of the believer by their 
reception. And well may the Christian exult in 
the abundant and glorious blessings of the new 
and everlasting covenant, because it is established 
on better promises than the former, and all its pro- 
visions are adapted to minister to his happiness, 
and contribute to his growth in holiness. 

To secure this important spiritual development, 
however, other aids have been provided, and these 
are appropriately alluded to in the appointment of 
a most distinguished personage as " chief teacher," 
and also, in the setting apart of old Mr. Conscience 
to minister to the goodly town of Mansoul in all 
his "laws, statutes, and judgments." Now this 
chief Teacher is no less a person than the Holy 
Ghost, whose special prerogative it is to guide us 
into all truth," opening our understanding to a 
discovery of the wondrous things of God's law, 
and revealing to us the things of Jesus, according 
to his own most gracious promise. 

But, in connection with this, we are favored witt 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 171 

another ministry, the teachings of which are to be 
to us as the voice of God, and which, while not 
attempting to broach any new doctrine, is required 
to be faithful and true in the enforcement of such 
as have been already revealed. This is the pecu- 
liar office of conscience, when purged by the blood 
of Christ. And every man in profound respect to 
its teachings, should say — 

"What conscience dictates to "be done, 

Or warns me not to do. 
This teach me more than hell to shun, 

That more than heaven pursue." 

In addition to the instructions given with refer- 
ence to these ministers, the inhabitants of Han soul 
received special charge to carry it very kindly to- 
wards Immanuel s valiant Captains. 

" Slight them not," said the Prince, " nor despise 
them, but rather strengthen them, and encourage 
them, though weak and ready to die, for they are 
your fence, and your guard, your wall, your gates, 
your locks, and your bars. And although, when 
they are weak, they can do but little, but rather 



172 Reorganization of the Town; or 

need to be helped by you, than that you should 
then expect great things from them, yet when well, 
you know what exploits, what feats and warlike 
achievements they are able to do, and will perform 
for you. 

" Besides, if they be weak, the town of Mansoul 
cannot be strong ; if they be strong, then Mansoul 
cannot be weak ; your safety therefore doth lie in 
their health, and in your countenancing of them. 
Remember also that if they be sick, they catch 
that disease of the town of Mansoul itself." 

These instructions, here so appropriately intro- 
duced, refer, undoubtedly, to the behavior of 
Christ's followers toward his ministers. Subject, 
as they often are, to great trials, and called, as they 
are, to the most arduous and responsible labors, 
they are to be " esteemed very highly in love for 
their work's sake," and to be cheered and assisted 
in the performance of their duties ; for while this 
is profitable to the people, it is, at the same time, a 
debt of love due to God and to them. 

Mansoul was also admonished of the existence of 
certain Diabolonians, who were so effectually en- 



The Fruits of Righteousness. 173 

sconced in lier midst that it would be almost impos- 
sible to get rid of tliem unless they should pull 
down the walls of the town. They were neverthe- 
less commanded to find out their haunts, and to as- 
sault them and make no peace with them. More- 
over, they were cautioned against some among them- 
selves, who would show themselves to them "in 
another hue ;; than those iust mentioned, and against 
whom they were to watch lest they should be be- 
trayed. The application of these earnest counsels 
must be perfectly obvious. They teach us that, as 
Christians, we must constantly watch and pray 
against the remaining corruptions of our nature, 
against sins which, though they may not possess 
the castle of the heart, yet have their private lurking 
places, and may, if not resisted, do the believer most 
serious harm. 

Now when the Prince had thus far new-modeled 
the town, he appointed a day on which he would 
meet them, and bestow on them the white robes 
which he had provided for Mansoul, and without 
which, as he assured them, they would not be per- 
mitted to see his face. So, at the time appointed. 



174 Reorganization of the Town ; or 

they put them on, and now to look upon they were fair 
as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an army 
with banners. But in addition to this mark of honor, 
the Prince would now also feast them, and be with 
them continually. Hardly a week w r ould pass but 
a banquet must be had between him and them. 
Yea, every day with Mansoul was a feast-day now, 

" And if Mansoul did not frequently visit him as 
he desired they should, he would walk out to them, 
knock at their doors and desire entrance, that amity 
might be maintained betwixt them and him. If 
they did hear and open to him, as commonly they 
would, if they were at home, then would he renew 
his former love, and confirm it too with some new 
tokens and signs of continued favor. 

Now did Mansoui's cup run over, now did her 
conduits run sweet wine, now did she eat the finest 
of the wheat, and drink milk and honey out of the 
rock ! Now she said, How great is his goodness ! 
for since I found favor in his eyes, how honorable 
have I been !" 

A blessed fulfillment is this of that promise — 
" We will come unto him." And this pledge is ver- 



The Fruits op Righteousness. 175 

ified to the believer in the daily communications 
of his word and Spirit. " Earth/ 7 says an eloquent 
writer, " has no lovers who meet so often as Jesus 
and his bride. The lowliest and poorest Christian 
God honors with daily visits. He comes at the 
time of prayer ; he occupies the mercy seat at the 
stated hour of worship ; and into the closet where 
the good man goes, he goes along with him. He 
is closeted there with God ; and comes forth like a 
warrior from his tent, inspired with courage, and 
armed for the battle of life. Happy man ! he sleeps 
at night in God's arms — happy man ! in every trial 
he weeps on God's bosom — happy man ! although 
his fare be but a crust of bread and a cup of water, 
he dines every day at heaven's royal table." 

The Prince also, it is said, appointed a new gov- 
ernor in the town whose name was Mr. God's Peace, 
and under his benign rule everything went on 
prosperously and well ; so that through the whole 
town u nothing was to be found but harmony, quiet- 
ness, joy and health." 

A beautiful representation, this, of the holy en- 
joyment of divine things with which the soul of the 



176 Reorganization of the Town; or 

believer is favored — when, lifted above the world 
and brought by faith into sweet and intimate fel- 
lowship with heaven, he is made to experience 
the peace of God ruling in his heart — a peace so 
blessed, that it " passeth all understanding," 



VII. 



locations cf |WaIt m lltasmil. 



I! A liberty which persecution, fraud. 
Oppression, prisons, have no power to bind ; 
"Which whoso tastes can be enslaved no more : 
'Tis liberty of heart derived from Heaven, 
Bought with His blood, who gave it to mankind, 
And sealed with the same token. It is held 
By charter, and that charter sanctioned sure 
By the unimpeachable and awful oath 
And promise of a God." 



" The language of the Bible harmonizes with all human experience, in 
declaring that all progress implies effort, resistance, combat." — Parson's 
Essays. 



VII. 



INDICATIONS OF REVOLT IN MANSOUL ; 

OR, 

THE DEVICES OP THE ADVERSARY. 

u Lest Satan should get an advantage of us : for we are not ignorant of 
his devices." — 2 Cor. ii : li. 

rjpHE " poet of the Sanctuary" hath said — 

" "We should suspect some danger nigh, 
Where we possess delight" 

And though direct reference is here had to 
worldly enjoyment, it is not a whit less true 
when applied to that which is purely spiritual. It 
is the great aim of the adversary, in some way, to 
destroy our peace, and if this is not done by open 
assaults, we may next expect to find his practised 



180 Indications of Revolt in Mansoul ; 

subtilty employed in lulling the soul into a state of 
dangerous, self-confident security. This is just as 
Bunyan has sketched the Christian's experience in 
his Holy "War. The town of Mansoul, as we saw in 
the last lecture, had been so entertained and feast- 
ed by Immanuel, that her cup quite run over, and 
she was constrained to cry, " How great is his 
goodness ! for since I found favor in his eyes, how 
honorable have I been !" But there was a man in 
Mansoul by the name of Carnal-security, and this 
man, after all this mercy bestowed on this Corpo- 
ration, brought the town into great and grievous 
slavery and bondage. He was the offspring, we 
are told, of Self-conceit and Pear-nothing, and hav- 
ing, in the conquest of the town, slily wheeled 
about, and joined the forces of the Prince, he now 
" ventures himself into the company of the towns- 
men, and attempts also to chat among them. Now 
he knew that the power and strength of the town 
of Mansoul was great, and that it could not but be 
pleasing to the people if he cried up their might 
and their glory. Wherefore he beginneth his tale 
with the power and strength of Mansoul, and 



oe, The Devices of the Adversary. 181 

affirmed that it was impregnable. Now magnify- 
ing their Captains, and their slings, and their rams ; 
then crying up their fortifications, and strong holds ; 
and lastly, the assurances that they had from their 
Prince that Mansoul should be happy for ever. 
But when he saw that some of the men of the town 
were tickled and taken with his discourse, he 
makes it his business, and walking from street to 
street, house to house, and man to man, he at last 
brought Mansoul to dance after his pipe, and to 
grow almost as carnally secure as himself; so from 
talking they went to feasting, and from feasting to 
sporting ; and so to some other matters." 

Immanuel, seeing their exposure to this evil de- 
vice, admonished them that their security was not 
so much in their fortifications, as in their so living 
as to secure his permanent abode in the castle* 
"For the right doctrine of Immanuel," says our 
author, " was, that the town of Mansoul should take 
heed that they forget not his Father's love and his, 
also that they should so demean themselves as to 
continue to keep themselves therein." 

And this, my brethren, is according to the teach- 



182 Indications of Revolt in Mansoul ; 

ings of the Bible. Sometimes, perhaps, we may 
discover within us a tendency to build our religious 
hopes on the soundness of our creed, — a temptation 
to trust in our orthodoxy, instead of looking alone 
to our vital union with Christ, and, when this is 
the case, we are depending for security on our for- 
tifications, rather than on the daily exercise of that 
faith which keeps the soul in close communion with 
heaven, and strengthens it for a vigorous growth 
in holiness. Now while it is all well enough, 
nay, while it is our duty and privilege, to rejoice 
in the doctrines of grace, it is at the same time in- 
dispensable that we " depart from evil/ 7 and strive 
earnestly to keep ourselves " in the love of God/' 
since, as Bunyan says in his marginal note, " It is 
not grace received but grace improved that pre- 
serves the soul from danger." In losing- sight of 
this important truth, which they did through the 
policy of Mr. Carnal-security, the hearts of the men 
of Mansoul " were chilled and abated in their prac- 
ticed love" of their Prince, so that, after faithfully 
admonishing them, he determined, with his Secre- 
tary, to leave them until they should consider and 



or, The Devices of the Adversary. 183 

acknowledge their offence. Now this abatement 
in their love was manifested in these particulars— 

" 1st. They left off their former way of visiting 
him ; — they came not to his royal palace as afore. 

2d. They did not regard, nor yet take notice 
that he came, or came not to visit them, 

3d. The love-feasts that had wont to be be- 
tween their Prince and them, though he made them 
still, and called them to them, yet they neglected 
to come at them, or to be delighted with them. 

4th. They waited not for his counsels, but be- 
gan to be headstrong and confident in themselves, 
concluding that now they were strong and invinci- 
ble, and that Mansonl was secure, and beyond all 
reach of the foe, and that her state must needs be 
unalterable for ever." 

Thus they went on growing worse and worse un- 
til, at length, " when they came to visit him, as 
now and then they would, they might knock once, 
yea twice, but he would seem not at all to regard 
them; whereas, formerly he would run and meet 
them half wav, and take them too and lav them in 
his bosom." 



184 Indications of Revolt in Mansoul ; 

Here, we have described some of the prominent 
causes and painful consequences of back-sliding. 
Only let a Christian discontinue his approaches to 
the Mercy Seat, and become negligent of holy sea- 
sons of communion, and thus grow self-confident 
and careless, and soon, as a consequence of his de- 
fection from Christ, he will be obliged, with one of 
old, to complain—" I sought him, but I could not 
find him : I called him, but he gave me no an- 
swer or with the forsaken Patriarch, he will be 
heard crying, " Oh, that I knew where I might 
find him ! that I might come even to his seat ! — I 
go forward, but he is not there ; and backward, 
but I cannot perceive him." And thus, instead of 
that ready, warm welcome which he once found in 
coming to Christ, he experiences anxious delays, 
and the cold reception of a neglected love. 

And when this is the case with a believer, then, 
as with Mansoul, God's peace, the sweet influence 
of which we have before spoken, forsakes him, 
and he is left to experience the evil and bitter con- 
sequences of his sins. 

But the dangerous influence of this Mr. Carnal- 



or, The Deyices of the Adversary. 185 

security in Mansoul, was nobly resisted, we are 
told, by one Godly-fear, and also by the subordinate 
preacher, Mr. Conscience ; for being invited by 
Carnal-security to a great feast, they appeared 
with the rest of the guests, but one of them, instead 
of eating and drinking and making merry, sat at 
the table like a stranger, " which," says our author, 
" when Mr. Carnal-security perceived, he addressed 
himself in a speech thus to him : — 

" Mr. Godly-fear, are you not well ? You seem 
to be ill of body and mind, or both. I have a cor- 
dial of Mr. Forget-good 7 s making, which, sir, if you 
will take, I hope it will make you bonny and blithe, 
and so make you more fit for us feasting com- 
panions. 77 

Unto whom the good old man discreetly replied — 
" Sir, I thank you for all things courteous and 
civil, but for your cordial, I have no list thereto. 
But a word to the natives of Mansoul : Tou the 
elders and chief of Mansoul, to me it is strange to 
see you so jocund and merry, when the town of 
Mansoul is in such a woful case. 77 

" Then said Mr. Carnal-security, 1 Fie, fie, Mr. 



186 Indications of Eevolt in Mansoul ; 

Godly-fear, fie ; will yon never shake off yonr tim- 
oronsness ? Are yon afraid of being sparrow-blast- 
ed ? Who hath hurt yon ? Behold I am on yonr 
side, only yon are for donbting, and I am for being 
confident. Besides, is this a time to be sad in ? 
A feast is made for mirth ; why then do ye now, 
to yonr shame and onr tronble, break ont into snch 
passionate, melancholy langnage, when yon shonld 
eat, drink, and be merry ¥ " 

" Then said Mr. Godly-fear again, 1 1 may well 
be sad, for Immannel is gone from Mansoul. I say 
again, he is gone, and you, sir, are the man that 
has driven him away ; yea, he is gone without so 
much as acquainting the nobles of Mansoul with 
his going, and if that is not a sign of his anger, I 
am not acquainted with the methods of godliness. 

And now, my lords and gentlemen — for my 
speech is still to you — your gradual declining 
from him did provoke him to depart from you, 
the which he did for some time, if perhaps you 
would have been made sensible thereby, and have 
been renewed by humbling of yourselves ; but 
when he saw that none would regard, nor lay these 



or, The Devices of the Adversary. 187 

fearful beginnings of his anger and judgment to 
heart, he went away from this place, and this I saw 
with mine eye. But since without him you can do 
nothing, and he is departed from you, turn your 
feast into a sigh, and your mirth into lamenta- 
tion." 

Then Mr e Conscience, the subordinate preacher, 
being startled at what was said, immediately stood 
up and seconded Godly-fear's suggestion, and while 
seconding it, " looked," says Bunyan, " as if he 
would fall down dead at the table, also all there 
present, except the man of the house, began to look 
pale and wan." Finally, having considered the 
case, the company agreed to believe Mr. Godly- 
fear, and determined, at the same time, to avenge 
themselves on Mr. Carnal-security by burning his 
house over his head. 

But for the powerful influence of the fear of God 
in our hearts, my brethren, to what lengths of sin 
might we not go ! 0, how subtle and strong, at 
times, are the believer's temptations to backslide, 
and with all his watchfulness, how gradually and 
wickedly is he sometimes found yielding to those 



188 Indications of Revolt in Mansoul; 

carnal enticements which grieve the Saviour, and 
deprive his soul of the sweet enjoyments of the 
Holy Spirit ! The fear of God in the heart, being 
utterly opposed to carnal mirth, sternly rebukes 
the Christian in its indulgence, admonishing him 
of his danger. And when, besides this, conscience 
is roused and quickened into sensibility, then all 
the faculties of the mind are not only excited to 
resist Carnal-security, but are invested with power 
to accomplish its complete destruction. 

Immediately following this, the soul begins to in- 
quire again after Christ, saying, " I will seek him 
whom my soul loveth f and every effort is made 
to procure, if possible, the return of forfeited 
blessings. 

But, alas ! he who has been grieved away is not 
to be found — and like the spouse in the Song of 
Songs, the deserted one is heard complaining, " I 
opened to my beloved, but my beloved had with- 
drawn himself, and was gone, my soul failed when 
he spake : I sought him, but I could not find him : 
I called him, but he gave me no answer." Nor can 
one in such a case avail himself of the aid of the 



ok, The Devices of the Adversary. 189 

Holy Spirit, by whom alone Christ is revealed ; for 
he too has been grieved, and, as with Mansoul, it 
is felt to be " a day gloomy and dark, a day of 
clouds and of thick darkness. " 

But that which heightened the distress of Man- 
soul was this, that Conscience, the subordinate 
preacher, still kept accusing, reproving, and threat- 
ening them until the town was well nigh driven to 
distraction. He preached, for instance, on one 
occasion from this text, — " They that observe lying 
vanities, forsake their own mercies and such 
was the effect produced, that the people "were 
scarce able to go to their homes, or to betake them- 
selves to their employs the week after. They 
were so sermon-smitten, and also so sermon-sick by 
being smitten, that they knew not what to do." 

About this time, also, there was a severe sick- 
ness in Mansoul, and, to add to their distress, Boan- 
erges again appeared before them, and, with his 
wonted earnestness and power, preached to them 
from this text, " Cut it down, why cumbereth it 
the ground ?" And this sermon, it is said, wrought 
much upon the hearts of the men of Mansoul : 



190 Indications of Kevolt in Mansoul; 

" Tea, it greatly helped to keep awake those that 
had been roused by the preaching that went before. 
So that, now, throughout the whole town, there 
was little or nothing to be heard or seen, but sor- 
row, and mourning, and woe." 

This description is intended to set forth the 
spiritual exercises of a delinquent Christian, and 
must be regarded as very striking and truthful. It 
shows us, in the first place, how Conscience 

" In his fits of inspiration/' 

can preach to a man of duty, and chastise him for 
its neglect. Then it sets forth the intense suffer- 
ing and anguish of a soul when brought, a second 
time, under the influence of sin, and, finally, it re- 
presents the overwhelming power of awakening 
truth as addressed by Christ's ministers to those 
living in a state of conscious declension. 

And to how many cases does this apply ! How 
many in consequence of their defection from God, 
carry in their own breasts a sting which they can- 
not remove, and the pain of which they can scarcely 
bear. Thus they sometimes appear as men that 



or, The Devices op the Adversary. 191 

are sick, moving about with downcast faces, and 
disqualified, in a great measure, for both worldly 
and spiritual duties. And when such hear the 
fearful alarms of a faithful ministry, they are made 
to tremble with fear, and very bitter are the tears 
they shed at the remembrance of their sins ! 

Happy for such if, like the people of Mansoul, they 
shall begin to consider " what is best to be done 
for though, at first, their efforts may be fruitless 
and they may meet with repulses rather than with 
tokens of mercy, yet, let them not grow weary, re- 
membering, as Godly-fear suggested to Mansoul, 
that " it is the way of the wise Jehovah to make 
men wait and to exercise patience, and it should be 
the way of them in want to be willing to stay his 
leisure." And, knqwing the value and essential 
importance of prayer, let them unceasingly press 
their petition for the speedy return of their offend- 
ed Lord. 

Under such circumstances, moreover, there is 
special need of great watchfulness, from the fact 
that there are other spiritual foes lurking within 
us, who, taking advantage of Immanuel ? s absence, 



192 Indications of Kevolt in Mansoul ; 

will not fail to plot, and, if possible, accomplish 
our iuin. 

When Mansoul was taken, there were, it will be 
remembered, some of the old Diabolonians who 
found " holes, dens, and lurking places, under or 
about the wall of the town/ 7 and these, we are told, 
seizing the opportunity offered by the Prince's 
absence, now began to exert themselves to regain 
their power. To effect this, they met for consul- 
tation, and " when they had tossed the matter to 
and fro, they jointly agreed that a letter should 
forthwith be sent away to Diabolus, asking his ad- 
vice in the case. To speak minutely of the corres- 
pondence which ensued would require us to be 
tedious. Let it suffice to say that its whole scope 
and design is to set forth the fearful subserviency 
of the baser propensities of our nature to the will 
of Satan, and, at the same time, his own wicked 
cunning, in using them to promote his most infamous 
designs. And this is according to the Scriptures ; 
for "The flesh," says the Apostle, "lusteth against 
the spirit/ 7 and, taking advantage of this opposi- 
tion, the enemy of souls seeks to suggest and en- 



or, The Devices of the Adversary. 193 

courage such sensual and impious schemes as are 
most likely to insure their destruction. 

The means suggested in the present instance 
were, 1st, A vicious life. 2d, Despair of mercy. 
3d, Prevailing pride. And, while either of these 
would be sufficient to insure Mansoul's ruin, the 
one fixed upon as most easy and certain of success 
was the second, for, said Mr. Deceit — " If we could 
drive them into desperation, that would knock the 
nail on the head, for then we should have them, in 
the first place, question the truth of the love of the 
heart of their Prince towards them, and that will 
disgust him much. This, if it works well, will make 
them leave off quickly their way of sending peti- 
tions to him : then farewell earnest solicitations 
for help and supply, for then this conclusion lies 
naturally before them, As good do nothing as do to 
no purpose." 

But the next question related to the develop- 
ment of this plan, and this was soon settled by an 
agreement to send two or three Diabolonians under 
false guise and names to offer their service to the 
town of Mansoul. Accordingly, they pitched on 



194 Indications of Kevolt in Mansoul ; 

Lord Covetousness, Lord Lasciviousness, and Lord 
Anger. And very soon, Bunyan tells us, these 
" vagabonds ?; were engaged, and, having got into 
the houses of the men of Mansoul, quickly they be- 
gan to do great mischief therein. 

Lord Covetousness called himself by the name of 
Prudent Thrifty, and, being the most insinuating in 
his nature of the three, he held his position until, 
through his baneful influence, Mr. Mind, his employ- 
er, became as bad as himself. Lord Lasciviousness 
called himself by the name of Harmless Mirth, but he 
did not meet with so prompt an engagement as his 
companion, a fact, which is sarcastically accounted 
for by the statement that " the town of Mansoul 
was now in Lent." A well merited reproof of that 
form of godliness which allows a man, provided he 
only abstains from meats and worldly amusement 
forty days in each year, to spend the rest in feasting 
and folly. Lord Anger called himself by the name of 
Good Zeal, but his true character was soon revealed, 
and he was obliged to flee for his life. 

How deceitful is sin ! Here we see positive 
faults assuming the names of real virtues, and in dis- 



ob, The Devices of the Adyeesaey. 197 

guise, the meanest passions of our nature are em- 
ployed by us, while, at the same time, they are in 
the service of the enemy, aiding in the furtherance 
of his hellish plans against us. 

It is just in this way, by taking advantage of our 
moral infirmities, that the adversary seeks to gain 
us back to himself; and we may expect, therefore, 
that instead of having to encounter attacks from 
without, our chief danger will arise from the influ- 
ence of unsuspected enemies within, and when, in 
a sense, invulnerable to the assaults of open foes, 
then especially are we in peril from those that are 
secret. Unless prayerful and watchful, therefore, the 
remaining corruptions of our nature will certainly 
be employed against us, and their influences will 
conspire to betray our souls and destroy our peace. 

what need is there then of constantly taking 
heed, lest Satan (though we are not ignorant of his 
devices) should, by such means, get an advantage 
of us. 

And, now, the condition of Mansoul is represent- 
ed as exceedingly distressing. She had offended 
her Prince, and he was gone, and the powers of hell, 



198 Indications of Revolt in Mansoul; 

with an army of twenty thousand doubters were 
making ready to come against her, seeking her utter 
destruction, and though the people cried unto their 
king for help, alas ! for them, it is said they laid 
Diabolonians in their bosoms.' 

What a fearful state is this when men encourage 
evil thoughts and propensities in the heart, and at 
the same time are heard praying to God against 
them ! And yet, this is but too often the case even 
with those who call themselves Christians. 

" If I regard iniquity in my heart," says David, 
" the Lord will not hear me." This is true with 
reference to sin in all its forms, and we have no 
right, therefore, to expect that petitions offered 
under such circumstances will ever prove successful. 

" To keep a sin in the heart whilst there is a prayer 
on the lips, is like going into the monarch's pre- 
sence arm in arm with a rebel, or getting some 
noted enemy of his to countersign our petition. It 
is as if the one hand held out a plea for God's fa- 
vor, and the other a plea for God's frown. In truth, 
it is the more honest part of the man contradicting 
the other • the sinner shouting Nay to the Amen of 



or, The Devices op the Adversary. 199 

the hypocrite, and drowning in his louder voice the 
feeble muttering of the feigned lips." 

The spirit of our prayers whenever the forces of 
evil are felt working within us and against us, should 
be, " lead us not into temptation," for when a man 
prays thus, he really prays against himself, and 
implores help from God that he may not only be 
able to resist the outward enticements of sin, but 
also, the evil inclinations which are found struggling 
to maintain their hold within. 

Nor is it strange that such are left to complain- 
of their fruitless prayers, and to mourn over the 
absence of all religious enjoyment. Strange, in- 
deed, would it be, if it were otherwise ; for then 

- 

might we doubt the rewards of devotion, and cease 
to fear the consequences of declension. 

" Poore heart, lament, 
For since thy God refuse th still, 
There is some rub, some discontent, 

Which cools his will. 

Thy Father could 
Quickly effect, what thou dost move ; 
For he is Power : and sure he would ; 

For he is Love, 



Indications of Revolt in Mansoul ; 

Go search this thing. 
Tumble thy breast and turn thy book ; 
If thou hadst lost a glove or ring, 

Wouldst thou not look 1 

What do I see 
Written above there 1 Yesterday 
I did behave me carelessly, 

When I did pray. 

And should God's care 
To such indiflferents chained be, 
Who do not their own motions heare ? 

Is God lesse free ? 

But stay ! what's there 7 
Late when I would have something done ) 
I had a motion to forbear ', 

Yet I went on. 

And should God's care, 
Which needs not man, be ty'd to those 
Who heare not him, but quickly heare 

His utter foes ? 

Then once more pray : 
Down with thy knees, up with thy voice : 
Seek pardon first, and God will say, 

Glad heart rejoyceP — George Herbkbt. 



VIII. 

jjtefo SMpam of feat|erg in gfeusauL 



" This, this is freedom, such as angels use, 
And kindred to the liberty of God. 
First born of Virtue ! daughter of the skies, 
The man, the state in whom she ruled was free ; 
All else were slaves of Satan, sin, and death.' ' 

11 If the Son therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," 

Jesus Christ. 



VIII. 



NEW SCHEMES OF TREACHERY IN MANSOUL ; 

OB, 

TEMPTING SINS. 

<l Pray that ye enter not into temptation." — Luke 22 : 40. 

THE last lecture closed with a brief allusion to 
the sad condition of Mansoul as forsaken by 
her gracious Prince, and threatened by the enemy 
with a fearful invasion. 

This wicked plot, however, was detected and 
made known to the captains and rulers of the town 
by one Mr. Pry-well, and when this was reported to 
the people, not being able to gainsay it, they be- 
came greatly alarmed, while the Captains, like so 



204 Schemes of Treacheey in Mansoul; 

many Samsons, shook themselves and came together 
to consult and contrive how to defeat those bold 
and hellish contrivances that were upon the wheel 
against the now sickly, weakly, and much impover- 
ished town of Mansoul. And they agreed upon the 
following particulars — 

" That the gates of Mansoul should be kept shut, 
and made fast with bars and locks ; and that all 
persons that went out, or came in, should be very 
strictly examined by the Captains of the guards, to 
the end, said they, that those that are managers 
of the plot amongst us may either, coming or going, 
be taken ; and that we may also find out who are 
the great contrivers amongst us of our ruin. 

The next thing was, that a strict search should 
be made for all kind of Diabolonians throughout 
the whole town of Mansoul ; and every man's house, 
from top to bottom, should be looked into, and that 
too, house by house, that if possible a further dis- 
covery might be made of all such among them as 
had a hand in these designs. 

It was further concluded upon, that wheresoever 
or with whomsoever any of the Diabolonians were 



or, Tempting* Sixs. 205 

found, that even those of the town of Mansoul that 
had given them house and harbor, should to their 
sharae, and the warning of others, take penance in 
the open place. 

It was moreover resolved by the famous town of 
Mansoul, that a public fast, and a day of humiliation 
should be kept throughout the whole corporation, 
to the justifying of their Prince, the abasing of 
themselves before him for their transgressions 
against him, and against Shaddai his Father. 

It was further concluded then, that with what 
speed, and with what warmth of mind they could, 
they would renew their humiliation for sin, and. their 
petitions to Shaddai for help ; they also resolved to 
send tidings to the court of ail that Mr. Pry-well had 
told them. 

It was also determined that thanks should be 
given by the town of Mansoul to Mr. Pry-well for 
his diligent seeking of the welfare of their town ; 
and further, that forasmuch as he was so naturally 
inclined to seek their good, and also to undermine 
their foes, they gave him a commission of Scout-mas- 
ter-general, for the good of the town of Mansoul/' 



206 Schemes of Treachery m Mansoul ; 

The service rendered by this Mr. Pry -well may 
fitly represent that holy jealousy and careful self- 
examination, which, when properly used, will not 
fail to detect those cruel schemes of Satan by which 
he is constantly seeking to disturb our peace, and 
destroy our souls. And the exercise of this vigi- 
lant watchfulness is a duty, repeatedly enjoined by 
the Word of God as absolutely essential to our 
spiritual safety. It is only as we are thus made 
aware of our exposures and perils that we are led 
to adopt such measures of defence as are referred 
to in the case of Mansoul ; keeping a strict watch 
upon every avenue to the heart, searching out all 
hidden evil, and by penitence, humility and prayer, 
driving out whatever is inimical to our happiness 
and opposed to God. 

But with all this watchfulness, and care, and 
effort, the enemy will still struggle for the mastery, 
and though Diabolus may be foiled in some of his 
modes of attack, he will still persist in his object. 

It will be remembered, that when Mansoul was 
first taken, one of the number seized in the town 
succeeded in breaking jail and making his escape. 



or, Tempting Sins. 207 

His name was Incredulity, and now we hear of him 
again as leader of the army of twenty thousand 
doubters, raised by Diabolus to reduce the town to 
obedience. Under circumstances so threatening 
it was judged expedient, " without further delay, 
to put into execution the laws that, against the 
Diabolonians, their Prince had made for them, and 
given them in commandment to manage against 
them. Wherefore, forthwith a diligent and impar- 
tial search was made in all houses in Mansoul for 
all and all manner of Diabolonians. Xow in the 
house of Mr. Mind, and in the house of the great 
Lord Will-be-willj were two Diabolonians found. In 
Mr. Mind's house, was one Lord Covetousness 
found, but he had changed his name to Prudent- 
thrifty. In my Lord "Will-be- will's house, one Las- 
civiousness was found : but he had changed his 
name to Harmless-mirth. These two the Captains 
and elders of the town of Mansoul took, and com- 
mitted them to custody, under the hand of Mr. 
Trueman the jailer ; and this man handled them so 
severely, and loaded them so well with irons, that 
in time they both fell into a very deep consump- 



208 Schemes of Tkeachery in Mansoul; 

tion, and died in the prison-house ; their masters, 
also, according to the agreement of the Captains 
and elders, were brought to take penance in the 
open place to their shame, and for a warning to the 
rest of the town of Mansoul. 

Now this was the manner of penance in those 
days. The persons offending, being made sensible 
of the evil of their doings, were enjoined to open 
confession of their faults, and a strict amendment 
of their lives." 

The reappearance of old Incredulity at this cri- 
tical juncture with Mansoul, may serve well to 
remind us of the inveterate cruelty and fearful 
power of unbelief. And when called to cope with 
the many and anxious fears aroused by this mon- 
ster sin, unbelief, 0! how important is it that 
we should be freed from the influence of those evil 
principles and thoughts which, having insinuated 
themselves into the mind or will, are constantly 
working against our peace, and weakening the 
exercise of all our spiritual graces. When, however, 
these evil principles are detected and promptly held 
in check, they may be easily destroyed, and then, 



or, Tempting Sins. 209 

through hearty confession and true penitence, we 
may escape the serious damage which would other- 
wise ensue, 

But the army of Doubters to which we have 
alluded, are not to be so easily thwarted, and, com- 
ing upon us with all their force and fury, they fill 
the soul with alarm, and bear down upon every 
weakness, and imperfection, and fear with which 
we have ever been tried, until they drive the 
trembling believer into a state of dejection ap- 
proaching absolute despair. 

In the account given of the assaults of this army 
upon the town, mention is made by our author of the 
" roaring of their drum," by which the people were 
sorely affrighted. We may understand this, per- 
haps, as alluding to the terrors felt by the Christian 
when made sensible of the malice and hate of the 
enemy as engaged to do him the utmost possible 
harm. Bunyan himself experienced this, and in 
his " Grace Abounding" speaks of " those tumul- 
tuous thoughts, that, like masterless hell-hounds, 
roar and bellow, and make hideous noise within 
me." And alluding to the cause of this distress. 



210 Schemes of Treachery in Maxsoul; 

he says in another work, " It is for want of a hope 
(a sound scriptural hope, arising from faith and its 
purifying effects upon the soul) that so many brisk 
professors, that have so boasted and made brags of 
their faith, have not been able to endure the drum 
in the day of alarm and affliction." 

Now when the people of Mansoul found them- 
selves thus beset by the forces of the enemy, they 
very prudently betook themselves to the Lord 
Secretary for counsel and advice, and they begged 
favor of him in the following things : — 

" That he would look comfortably upon them, 
and not to keep himself so much retired from them 
as formerly. Also that he would be prevailed with 
to give them a hearing, while they should make 
known their miserable condition to him. But to 
this he told them as before, that as yet he was but 
ill at ease, and therefore could not do as he had 
formerly done. 

The second thing that they desired was, that he 
would be pleased to give them his advice about 
their now so important affairs, for that Diabolus 
was come and set down before the town, with no 



or, Tempting Sins. 211 

less than twenty thousand Doubters. They said, 
moreover, that both he and his Captains were cruel 
men, and that they were afraid of them. But to 
this he said, You must look to the law of the 
Prince, and there see what is laid upon you 
to do. 

Then they desired that his highness would help 
them to frame a petition to Shaddai, and unto Im- 
manuel his Son, and that he would set his own 
hand thereto, as a token that he was one with 
them in it ; for, said they, my lord, many a one 
have we sent, but can get no answer of peace, but 
now, surely one with thy hand unto it may obtain 
good for Mansoul. 

But all the answer that he gave to this was, that 
they had offended their Immanuel, and had also 
grieved himself, and that, therefore, they must as 
yet partake of their own devices. 

This answer of the Lord Secretary fell like a 
millstone upon them, yea, it crushed them so that 
they could not tell what to do, yet they durst not 
comply with the demands of Diabolus, nor with the 
demands of his Captain. So then, here were the 



212 Schemes of Tesachery in Mansoul ; 

straits that the town of Mansoul was betwixt when 
the enemy came upon her, her foes were ready to 
swallow her tip, and her friends did forbear to 
help her." 

It is thus that a believer, when filled with guilty 
fear and reduced to painful straits, is led to seek 
assistance of the Holy Spirit, invoking that guid- 
ance and support which in his emergency he so 
greatly needs. But alas ! how often do such appli- 
cations seem only to result in a deeper sense or 
conviction of guilt ; for having thus wilfully offend- 
ed the Saviour, and grieved the blessed Spirit, 
instead of finding relief, "the poor soul is re- 
duced to greater straits, and plunged into still 
deeper trouble. In such a condition Bunyan, by 
representing the inhabitants of Mansoul as resort- 
ing to the use of slings, has wisely suggested the 
importance of giving special attention to the use of 
God's Word, that being the most formidable instru- 
ment that can possibly be used in beating down 
and discomfiting our foes. 

But let us not forget that Satan has various 
modes of attack, and if, therefore, he succeeds not 



ob, Tempting Sins. 213 

as the roaring lion, he will assume the craftiness 
of the serpent ; if he prevail not by fear, he will 
resort to flattery, and in this latter way he may do 
us an amount of harm which he could not possibly 
effect by any other expedient. 

This, we find, was the next device of Diabolus 
against Mansoul, for " when he saw that his Cap- 
tains and soldiers, high lords, and renowned, were 
frightened, and beaten down by the stones that 
came from the golden slings of the Prince of the 
town of Mansoul, he bethought himself, and said, I 
will try to catch them by fawning, I will try to flat- 
ter them into my net. 

Wherefore, after a while, he came down again to 
the wall, not now with his drum, nor with Captain 
Sepulchre, but having so all besugared his lips, he 
seemed to be a very sweet-mouthed, peaceable 
Prince, designing nothing for humor's sake, nor to 
be revenged on Mansoul for injuries by them done 
to him, but the welfare, and good, and advantage 
of the town and people .therein, was now, as he 
said, his only design." 

And yet, before he concluded, his persecuting 



214 Schemes of Teeachery in Mansoul ; 

spirit would show itself, and the following haughty 
words fell from his lips — " Have you I will, in a way 
of peace or war ; nor do you flatter yourselves with 
the power and force of your Captains, or that your 
Immanuel will shortly come in to your help, for 
such strength will do you no pleasure." 

Seeing, at length, that little was to be gained by 
this parleying, he again drew up his army of Doub- 
ters before the town, placing them chiefly against 
Feel Gate, Nose Gate and Eye Gate, while he sought 
if possible to stop up Mouth Gate with dirt. 

The simple meaning of this procedure is, that 
Satan would fain destroy us by first betraying us 
through frames and feelings ; in other words, by 
getting the advantage of some of our physical senses, 
he would weaken us for resistance ; and knowing 
well the power of prayer, he is especially anxious 
to stop up Mouth Gate, in the hope of thus being 
able to interrupt the soul's approaches to God. 

A fierce battle is finally described as taking place 
between this army of Doubters and the forces of 
Mansoul, and among the most remarkable features in 
the contest, are the vigorous and successful charges 




Chahge upon 



Army of Doubters. 



or, Tempting Sins. 21 7 

made upon the enemy under the command of 
Captain Credence ; also the appearance of Captain 
Experience as he hastened to the scene of conflict 
on his crutches, and especially the desperate and 
deadly onslaught made by my Lord-will-be-will on 
the life-guard of Diabolus. In spite of all their skill 
and courage, however, the result of the engagement 
hung for a long time in doubt, nor did the victory 
turn decidedly for the Prince's army until Immanuel 
himself appeared in the field. Then the contest 
was soon decided, and " there was not left so much 
as one doubter alive. 77 

This battle with the army of Doubters is evi- 
dently designed to represent the conflict which 
often rages in the Christian's breast between the 
principle of faith and the suggestions of unbelief. 

At times doubts and fears seem to beset the be- 
liever like a body of armed men, but if we only fight 
the good fight of faith, we shall certainly come off 
more than conquerers,for faith must at length pre- 
vail, and before the gracious manifestations of Christ 
to the soul, Satan with his doubters cannot possibly 
stand. 



218 SCHEMEM OF TREACHERY IN MaNSOUL ; 

We are encouraged to believe, therefore, that 
whatever the schemes and devices of the enemy, 
our confidence and hope will never be utterly de- 
stroyed ; since ££ they that trust in the Lord shall be 
as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed." And 
with David we may sing — " The Lord is my light 
and my salvation ; whom shall I fear ? The Lord 
is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid ? 
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his 
pavillion : in the secret of his tabernacle shall he 
hide me : he shall set me up upon a rock, therefore 
will I sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord." 



IX. 



(Entrance of f mnmnuel into Sanson!. 



"Without the din of arms that shakes the skies, 
He gains the victory of victories. 
None crowd the conflict scene with anxious gaze ; 
Th' extent of victory none know, none praise- 

Yet. 'tis a triumph gained, and foes withstood, 
For few resist the force of flesh and blood. 
But truly great the man. a conqueror he, 
Who over self obtains the Mastery." 

" Sin has brought into the Commonwealth of the human soul utter 
anarchy and violent and grinding tyranny . Who shall heal the anarchy 
and expel the tyranny 1 Is the work to be done by outward observances , 
and the merit of bodily services, and austerities, and sacraments ; or by 
aught less than the spiritual and the Divine 1 No— the Atoning Blood and 
the Regenerating Spirit, these can, and these only ; and it is in their train 
that peace comes." — Wm. R. Williams 



IX. 



ENTRANCE OF IMMMUEL INTO MANSOUL; 



M For the joy of the Lord is your strength." — Keh. viii : 10. 

u Who out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned 
to flight the armies of the aliens." — Heb. xi: 34. 



HE earnest exhortation of the Apostle is, " Let 



every one that nameth the name of Christ 
depart from iniquity," and, in another place, he 
says, "They that are Christ's have crucified the 
flesh, with the affections and lusts." Impressed 
with the necessity of becoming thus dead to the 



CHEIST OUR JOY AND STRENGTH. 




222 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul ; 

world and alive to Christ, every true follower of 
the Saviour is found " striving against sin," — strug- 
gling earnestly for the mastery of every spiritual 
foe, and aiming to bring "into captivity every 
thought to the obedience of Christ." Among all 
the conflicts of the soul, however, none are so long 
and violent as those which often occur between 
faith and unbelief ; and at such times, we should 
have no hope of deliverance but for the gracious 
and timely help received through Christ. It was 
the presence of the Prince, as we saw in the last 
lecture, that gave Mansoul the victory over the 
army of Doubters. They had so offended him that, 
for a time, he departed from them, and taking ad- 
vantage of his absence, these enemies rallied their 
forces, and so besieged the town that, but for the 
seasonable coming of Immanuel, they might have 
accomplished its utter destruction. Having now 
returned, however, and the battle being ended, 
" the Captains and elders of Mansoul came togeth- 
er to salute Immanuel, while without the Corpora- 
tion ; so they saluted him and welcomed him, and 
that with a thousand welcomes, for that he was 



or, Christ Our Joy and Strength. 223 

come to the borders of Mansoul again ; so he smiled 
upon them and said, 'Peace be to yon. 7 Then they 
addressed themselves to go to the town, they, the 
Prince, and all the new forces that now he had 
brought with him to the war. Also all the gates 
of the town were set open for his reception, and 
the streets were crowded with people, so glad were 
they of his blessed return. 

Thus was he had up straightway to the castle ; 
for that was the royal palace, and the place where 
his honor was to dwell ; the which was ready pre- 
pared for his Highness by the presence of the Lord 
Secretary, and the work of Captain Credence. So 
he entered in. 

Then the people and commonalty of the town of 
Mansoul, came to him into the castle to mourn, and 
to weep, and to lament for their wickedness by 
which they had forced him out of the town. So 
they, when they were come, prayed that he would 
again, as of old, confirm his love to Mansoul. 

To the which the great Prince replied, Weep 
not, but 1 go your way, eat the fat and drink the 
sweet, and send portions unto them for whom 



224 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul ; 

nought is prepared — for the joy of the Lord is your 
strength. 5 

And now there was music and dancing through- 
out the whole town of Mansoul, and that because 
their Prince had again granted to them his pres- 
ence and the light of his countenance, the bells also 
did ring, and the sun shone comfortably upon them 
for a great while together." 

The happiness of the Christian, when living by 
faith on the Son of God, is indescribably great, but, 
when beset by gloomy doubts and fears, his soul is 
filled with the deepest distress ; his joys are then 
turned into mourning, and, instead of the voice of 
praise, he is ready to cry — 

" Come, Lord, ray head doth burn, my heart is sick, 

While thou dost ever, ever stay : 
Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick, 
My spirit gaspeth night and day. 

shew thyself to me, 
Or take me up to thee !" 

Sad, indeed, is the case of that professor when, 
as the fruit of his backslidings, his spirit is oppress- 
ed with fear, and shut up as in the prison house 



on, Christ Our Jot and Strength. 225 

of despair : then he is forced to exclaim with one of 
old, " My way is hid, and my hope is perished. " 
He is in the condition of that one whom Christian 
saw in the house of the Interpreter, and who said, 
" I am what I was not once, I am now a man of 
despair, I am shut up in it as in this iron cage." 
After such distressing seasons of darkness and 
trouble, how gladly is Jesus received ! Then every 
faculty and emotion of the soul joins to welcome 
his presence, and, from a heart overflowing with 
delight, the believer would fain be constantly ador- 
ing his mercy, and speaking forth his praise ! 

Mingling with this joyous experience, however, 
there are, at times, recollections of sins and defec- 
tions which fill the soul with the bitterest grief, 
and so humble and abase it, that, but for the com- 
forting assurance of Jesus, sorrow would prevail 
to drown the believer's joys, and every source of 
happiness would then be destroyed. 

{{ But if Immanuel's face appear, 
My hope, my joy begins ; 
His name forbids my slavish fear, 
His grace removes my sins." 

It is in this way that the troubled heart of the 



226 Entrance op Immanuel into Mansoul ; 

Christian is filled with comfort. Thus does the 
Saviour hear his prayer for mercy. Tims does He 
" confirm his love " to him, and, as the immediate 
consequence of this favor, he is enabled to live in 
the light of his countenance, and to rejoice in a 
sweet and abiding sense of his presence ! 

" After things were thus far put into order in the 
famous town of Mansoul, care was taken and order 
given by the blessed Prince Immanuel, that the 
townsmen should, without further delay, appoint 
some to go forth into the plain to bury the dead 
that were there — the dead that fell by the sword 
of Immanuel and by the shield of Captain Cre- 
dence — lest the fumes and ill savors that would 
arise from them might infect the air, and so annoy 
the famous town of Mansoul. 

Thus they buried, in the plains about Mansoul, 
the Election-doubters, the Vocation-doubters, the 
Grace-doubters, the Perseverance-doubters, the 
Resurrection-doubters, the Salvation-doubters, and 
the Glory-doubters." 

This marks the completion of the victory. 
Through a stormy and perplexing contest the be- 



or, Christ Our Jot and Strength. 227 

liever has fought his way, and at last comes forth, 
" more than conqueror. /V He has not only van- 
quished his foes, but most of them are utterly des- 
troyed, yea, and buried. Some it is true, among 
whom is old Incredulity, have made their escape, 
and will no doubt be the occasion of future trouble. 
Nor must he forget the danger which threatens 
him from a resurrection of these dangerous adver- 
saries. Though slain, they may live again, and then 
with increased power, they will molest his peace 
and threaten his destruction. 

When Greatheart and the Pilgrims had killed 
Despair, and were rejoicing over the ruins of 
Doubting Castle, Bunyan thus warns them — 

" Though Doubting Castle be demolished, 
And the Giant Despair hath lost his head, 
Sin can rebuild the castle, make it remain, 
And make Despair, the giant, live agam." 

The only security of the believer, therefore, is in 
constant watchfulness and prayer, and, if neglectful 
of these duties, he will soon find, to his cost, that 
foes once slain, and whom he had ceased to fear, 



228 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul ; 

will renew their assaults, and in the end, succeed in 
doing incalculable harm. 

Having disposed of the army of Doubters, Man- 
soul was soon called to experience another species 
of plague and torment. Her cruel enemies, to re- 
venge themselves, as we are told, on the loss they 
had sustained, resolved to make another attempt 
upon the town, " by an army mixed, and made up 
partly of Doubters and partly of bloodmen. 

The Doubters are such as have their name from 
their nature, as well as from the lord and kingdom 
where they are born ; their nature is to put a 
question upon every one of the truths of Im- 
manuel. 

The Bloodmen are a people that have their name 
derived from the malignity of their nature, and from 
the fury that is in them to execute it upon the 
town of Mansoul. These people are always in 
league with the Doubters, for they jointly do make 
question of the faith and fidelity of the men of the 
town of Mansoul, and so are both alike qualified 
for the service of their prince." 

These Bloodmen, Bunyan tells us, Diabolus 



or, Ceeist Our Joy and Strength* 229 

had often proved, " and their sword did seldom 
return empty. Besides, he knew that these, like 
mastiffs, would fasten upon any, upon father, moth- 
er, brother, sister, prince, or governor, yea, upon 
the Prince of princes. And that which encouraged 
him the more, was for that they once did force Im- 
manuel out of the kingdom of Universe, and why, 
thought he, may they not also drive him from the 
town of Mansoul ?" 

In the experience of Christ's followers, especially 
in other times, how often has this feature of our 
allegory been illustrated I Here we have brought 
to view, a combination of enemies quite different 
in character from those just overcome ; and the 
believer, while yet rejoicing in the subjugation of 
foes that warred within, finds himself in danger 
from still more bitter enemies without 

The primary reference here is, no doubt, to the 
-spirit of bloody persecution by which so many of 
the faithful, in past ages, have been tried, and 
through which, Satan has, at different times, sought 
the destruction of God's people. Bunyan, by read- 
ing Fox's Martyrs, one of his favorite books, had 



230 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul : 

become familiar with the character and doings of 
the Bloodmen, and he had seen enough in his own 
day, and, it may be, even in his own experience, to 
satisfy him, that while persecution had a tendency 
to try the Christian's faith, that all such tests, by 
reason of new doubts which they occasioned, had 
the effect also to increase their terrors, and thus to 
add to the danger of apostacy. 

This spirit of persecution, let it be remarked, is 
only wont to exhibit itself when the followers of 
Christ are vigilant, faithful and zealous. While 
suffering from the prevalence of doubts and fears, 
they are sure to decline from holiness, and their 
influence will only be felt for evil. But when they 
bestir themselves, and, shaking off unbelief, are 
found living a life of faith, and aiming to be " holy 
in all manner of conversation and godliness," then 
they are not unfrequently called to suffer reproach 
and persecution. This may be regarded as one of 
the enemy's most wicked and desperate devices ; 
and having, as he falsely fancies, so often proved 
successful, he is still disposed to employ it 
whenever a pious heart is found resisting his in- 



or, Christ cur Joy axd Strength. 231 

fluence, or Christian efforts are made to subvert 
his kingdom. But, blessed be God ! by such 
means Satan has never been suffered to accomplish 
his purpose. He tried his Bioodmen upon Christ. 
This, however, only crushed his head, " shook his 
power, and will annihilate it, and fill hell with fresh 
torments. He pursues the same course with the 
Saints of God, and their blood and groans become 
the fruitful seed of the church. So does Satan 
aid in destroying himself." * 

The surest and most effectual way of meeting 
such opposition, is indicated in the measures adopt- 
ed for Mansoul's defence ; for, discovering their 
peril, we are told, they drew up a petition, and 
brought their case before the Prince, earnestly re- 
questing him to save them from bloody men. " So 
he took it, and looked upon it, and considered it, 
and called the noble Captain Credence, and bid 
him go, and take Captain Patience with him, and 
go and take care of that side of Mansoul that was 
beleaguered by the Bioodmen !" 

Then he commanded that Captain Goodhope and 

* Goo. Offer, Esq. 



232 EXTEANCE OF liBIANUEL IXTO MANSOUL ; 

Captain Charity, and Captain Experience, and my 
Lord Will-be-wili, should take charge of the other 
side of the town, there to watch against the attacks 
of the Doubters. " This siege," says Bunyan, " was 
long, and many a fierce attempt did the enemy, 
especially those called the Bloodmen, make upon 
the town of Mansoul, and many a shrewd brush did 
some of the townsmen meet with from them, es- 
pecially Captain Self-denial, who, I should have 
told you before, was commanded to take care of 
Ear Gate and Eye Gate now against the Blood- 
men. 

This Captain, therefore, being a hardy man, and 
a man of great courage, and willing to venture him- 
self for the good of the town of Mansoul, would 
now and then sally out upon the Bloodmen and 
give them many notable alarms, and entered seve- 
ral brisk skirmishes with them, and also did some 
execution upon them ; but you must think that 
this could not easily be done, but he must meet 
with brushes himself, for he carried several of their 
marks in his face ; yea, and some in some other 
parts of his body." 




Captain Self-dental. 



or, Christ Our Joy and Strength. 235 

The titles given to these Captains intimate in 
the happiest manner, the respective offices of prom- 
inent Christian graces ; while the places to which 
they were assigned, may be regarded as indicating 
the peculiar circumstances which demand their ex- 
ercise. Where hope, charity, etc., are found, a 
most formidable and successful resistance may be 
expected to the suggestions of unbelief ; and the 
possession of faith, patience, and self-denial has 
ever proven the strongest and surest safeguard in 
times of trial and persecution. In the exercise of 
self-denial, however, the Christian possesses a very 
special advantage, inasmuch as this trait not only 
enables him to bear up under opposition, but, at 
the same time, it so diminishes its terrors, that he 
is found rejoicing in it, as affording an occasion for 
proving his sincerity. 

Acknowledging the reasonableness of the com- 
mand, "Deny thyself and take up thy cross," he 
gladly embraces the opportunity afforded by every 
season of trial, to manifest his willing obedience to 
this precept ; and the completeness of his surren- 
der is shown in the fact, that he can say with the 



236 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul ; 

Apostle, " I take pleasure in reproaches, in necessi- 
ties, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's 
sake." 

Now, when persecution is met in this spirit, it 
will be found far more threatening than formida- 
ble ; a fact which Bunyan himself intimates, when 
he says of the Bloodmen, " though they are, mis- 
chievous and cruel where they can overcome, yet 
all Bloodmen are chicken-hearted men, when they 
once come to see themselves matched and equal- 
led." All that the believer need be careful to do, 
therefore, is simply to maintain his integrity, pity- 
ing and showing mercy to such as are moved to 
opposition by ignorance or superstition, and in no 
case resenting evil ; because it is written, " Ven- 
geance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." This, 
let it be remembered, is the law of Christ : " Love 
your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good 
to them that hate you, and pray for them which 
despitefully use you and persecute you and if 
the salutary influence of this gentle and forbearing 
course, fails to subdue the enmity and rage of those 
who seek to do us wrong, it will be enough to know 



or, Christ Our Joy and Strength. 237 

that such must soon appear at the bar of judg- 
ment, when God will vindicate the righteous, and 
reward the wicked according to their works. 
The town of Mansoul having now vanquished its 

most dangerous foes, might be expected to enjoy a 
good measure of prosperity, but alas ! we find there 
are still some who plot against her peace, and seek 
to accomplish her ruin. " There were three of 
those," says Bunyan, " that came from the land of 
Doubting, who, after they had wandered and ranged 
the country awhile, and perceived that they had 
escaped, were so hardy as to thrust themselves, know- 
ing that yet there were in the town Diabolonians — I 
say they were so hardy as to thrust themselves into 
Mansoul among them. Three, did I say ? I think 
there were four. Now, to whose house should these 
Diabolonian Doubters go, but to the house of an old 
Diabolonian in Mansoul, whose name was Evil-ques- 
tioning : a very great enemy he was to Mansoul, 
and a great doer among the Diabolonians there." 

Now it happened that one of Lord Will-be-wilPs 
faithful soldiers, whose name was Mr. Diligence, 
stood listening under old Evil-questioning's eaves, 



238 Entrance of Imjolnuel into Mansoul. 

and heard all the talk that passed between him and 
the Doubters that he entertained under his roof.— 
The soldier was a man that my Lord had much 
confidence in ; because he was a man of courage? 
and also a man that was unwearied in seeking after 
Diabolonians to apprehend them. 

Under the guidance of Mr. Diligence, these ene- 
mies of Mansoul were quickly apprehended and as 
speedily brought to trial. The first one set to the 
bar was old Evil-questioning himself, the receiver, 
entertainer and comforter of these Doubters. After 
the reading of the indictment, which set forth the 
offences charged against him, he boldly stood forth 
and uttered the following plausible words of defence. 

" My Lord, I know not the meaning of this indict- 
ment, forasmuch as I am not the man concerned in 
it ; the man that standeth by this charge, accused 
before this bench, is called by the name of Evil- 
questioning, which name I deny to be mine, mine 
being Honest-inquiry. The one indeed sounds like 
the other ; but I trow, your Lordships know, that 
between these two there is a wide difference ; for 
I hope that a man, even in the worst of times, and 



or, Christ Our Joy and Strength. 239 

that too amongst the worst of men, may make 
an honest inquiry after things, without r unning the 
danger of death." 

Notwithstanding these specious pleas, however, 
both Evil-questioning and those whom he had en- 
couraged, were fully convicted of the crimes charged 
against them, and having been sentenced, were in 
due time, publicly executed. 

The allusion here is plainly to the return of those 
distressing suggestions of unbelief, which, as we 
have before seen, press so sorely upon the soul, 
that they not only destroy its peace, but, at times, 
even peril its safety. Though not as numerous as 
they once were, they are, if possible, more danger- 
ous ; for insinuating themselves into the soul, they 
take shelter under such guises as make them most 
difficult of detection. Great diligence, therefore, is 
required to search out and expose these lurking 
foes, that we may understand their true character, 
and especially that we may thus discriminate be- 
tween Evil-questioning and Honest-inquiry ; for 
while one is a Christian duty, the other is a pre- 
sumptuous sin. In the pursuit of truth we are as- 



240 Entrance of Xmmanuel into Mansoul ; 

sisted by the enlightening influences of the Holy 
Spirit ; but when we seek to wrest and pervert it, 
we do so under the guidance of our own depraved 
reason. Sonest-inquiry is to be encouraged, but Evil- 
questioning, under all circumstances, must be op- 
posed and condemned. The sentence and execu- 
tion, of which Bunyan here speaks, is not to be un- 
derstood, of course, as against persons who hold 
these opinions ; but he means to teach us allegori- 
cally, that the errors themselves are to be eradica- 
ted, and thus the soul of the believer freed entirely 
from their dangerous and destructive influence. 

This same important duty is still further enforced 
in the account given of the execution of Self-love, 
Clip-promise, and some others. These sins cannot 
be tolerated, they must be exterminated. As Mr. 
Self-denial said with reference to the first of these, 
" such villains as these may not be winked at " be- 
cause to clip the promises " is as high a crime as 
clipping the current coin; and if Self-love be cher- 
ished there will be no room for the exercise of self- 
denial, and the absence of this will prove destructive 
both of life and peace ; for it is written, " If ye live 



or, Christ Our Joy and Strength. 241 

after the flesh, ye shall die : but if ye through the 
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall 
live." 

Two enemies still remained in Mansoul, that, with 
all their vigilance, they could not destroy. One of 
these was Mr. Carnal-sense, who, having been ap- 
prehended and put in hold, succeeded in breaking 
prison and making his escape. The other was Mr. 
Unbelief, and though many had tried hard to take 
him and slay him, they could not ; because, as Bun- 
yan says, he was " a nimble jack," and they were 
never able to lay hold of him. " He therefore, and 
some few more of the subtilest of the Diabolonian 
tribe, did yet remain in Mansoul, to the time that 
Mansoul left off to dwell any longer in the kingdom 
of Universe. But they kept them to their dens 
and holes ; if one of them did appear or happen to 
be seen in any of the streets of the town of Man- 
soul, the whole town would be up in arms after 
them, yea the very children in Mansoul would cry 
out after them as after a thief, and would wish that 
they might stone him to death with stones." 

So inveterate a foe is Carnal-sense, that, do what 



242 Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul . 

we will to destroy it, we find it still persistently 
defying all our efforts of resistance. It has its seat 
in the corporeal senses, and the grave is the only 
secure prison in which it can be forever shut up. 
Such a fearful influence does it sway that the be- 
liever is often forced to utter the sad confession, — 
" I am carnal, sold under sin." Thus, in a coinci- 
dent experience, the testimony of the Apostle is 
verified, when he speaks of a law in his members 
warring against the law of the mind, and bringing 
him into captivity to the law of sin. And no mat- 
ter what may be our attainments in grace, or how 
circumspect in our lives, if we have any proper 
apprehension of the spirituality of G-od's law, and 
of the evil of our own hearts, we shall be con- 
strained, in the deepest self-abasement, to confess 
that sin, even though hated, opposed, and pro- 
scribed, is still dwelling in us, and, alas 1 that we 
have no power to destroy it. 

But after all, unbelief is the worst foe we are 
called to encounter. So subtile are its influences 
that they operate where they are least suspected. 
It meets us at every turn in our spiritual course ; it 



or, Christ our Joy and Strength. 243 

fills the soul with fears ; it preys upon our peace ; 
it tempts to the indulgence of evil thoughts ; 
and not till life's close, may we hope to be wholly 
exempt from the cruel assaults of this . master 
sin. 

It is a most encouraging feature of Christian 
experience, however, when these lurking and dan- 
gerous enemies are earnestly resisted ; for, if uni- 
formly opposed, God, we are assured, will never 
suffer them to prevail against us. True, they may 
greatly annoy and distress us, but they can never 
again obtain the ascendancy ; and, in the end, they 
shall be utterly and forever destroyed. Earnestly 
desiring this, let the sincere prayer of every pious 
heart be — 

Father divine ! this deadening power control, 
Which to the senses binds the immortal soul ; 
0, break this bondage, Lord ! I would be free, 
And in my soul would find my heaven in Thee. 

My heaven in Thee ! God, no other heaven 
To the immortal soul can e'er be given ; 
0, let Thy kingdom now within me come, 
And as above, so here, Thy will be done ! 



Entrance of Immanuel into Mansoul. 

My heaven in Thee ! Father, let me find, 
My heaven in Thee ! within a heart resigned ; 
No more of heaven and bliss, my soul, despair! 
For where my* God is found, my heaven is there." 



X. 

Cohm seen in its first |knuk 



" Nearer, my God, to Thee, 

Nearer to Thee ! 
E'en though it be a cross 

That raiseth me ; 
Still all my cry shall be, — 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, 

Nearer to Thee I" 

s - Just before I die sanctification will be finished ; but not till that mo- 
ment shall I ever claim perfection in myself. — ! glorious hour ! blessed 
moment ! Methinks I long to die if there were no heaven, if I might but 
have that last purification, and come up from Jordan's stream most white 
from the washing. ! to be washed white, clean, pure, perfect !" — C. H. 
Spurgeon. 



X. 



THE TOWN SEEN IN ITS FIRST BEAUTY; 



THE SOUL MADE PERFECT IN HOLINESS. 



" That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteous- 
ness and true holiness." — Eph. iv : 24. 

" For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, hut righteousness and 
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." — Bom. xiv : 17. 



HE conflicts of the believer, though painful and 



*- long, are not doubtful as to their result, for, 
warring a good warfare, he shall certainly subdue 
all his foes, and come off, at last, more than con- 
quror, through him that hath loved us and given 
himself for us, — through him, mark you ! And this 
dependence is not only deeply felt, but gratefully 




248 The Town in its First Beauty ; or, 

acknowledged by the true Christian in every con- 
test and in the achievement of every victory. 

But while this is the case, it affords no ground 
for spiritual apathy, and is perfectly consistent 
with the most constant and earnest exertion of our 
own natural endowments. Yery beautifully in- 
deed has Bunyan set this forth in the honors shown 
by Mansoul to Immanuel, and in the reciprocal 
favor shown by the gracious Prince to some of the 
chief men of the town. Thus while we read that 
the Captains and elders of Mansoul came together 
on the occasion of a great victory, to salute and 
welcome him with a thousand welcomes, He, it 
is said, in return, not only smiled upon them, but 
also bestowed upon them many distinguishing 
tokens of His favor. And this conjunction of effort 
and honor — effort on our part, and honor received 
from Christ — is continued through the whole period 
of our spiritual history ; while it is especially con- 
spicuous in the case of those who have made any 
considerable progress in the divine life. Hence 
we read, that Mansoul, having succeeded in van- 
quishing ail her foes, now enjoyed " some good 



The Soul Mads Perfect in Holiness. 249 

degree of peace and quiet — her Prince also abode 
within her borders, her Captains also, and her 
soldiers did their duties, and Mansoul minded her 
trade that she had with the country afar off, also, 
she was busy in her manufacture." 

How finely does this illustrate that great Scrip- 
ture truth — " To be spiritually minded is life and 
peace f for it is only as we strive against sin, and 
mortify the deeds of the body, and rise above the 
debasing influence of carnal passions, that we can 
possibly arrive at that state of quietness and spirit- 
ual comfort, which it is the peculiar and exclusive 
privilege of the true believer to enjoy. And this 
resistance to the influences of sin from without, 
and this crucifixion of the affections and lusts that 
war within, is not the work of a day ; 0, no ! it is 
a labor taxing the vigilance and energy of the 
whole life. The figure which the Apostle Paul 
employs to represent the Christian life, is indeed a 
fearful one. He seems to fix our view on two ath- 
letics, as they meet in the public arena, there, with 
all their muscular power, to contend for a prize, 
and when the contest is over, and the victor is 



250 The Town ik its First Beauty ; or 

hailed with wild applause, and crowned with lau- 
rels, the Apostle says to those who are entered for 
H the good fight of faith 7 —" So fight, so win.'* — 
" They do it that they may obtain a corruptible 
crown, but we an incorruptible.'' 

Before we are successful, therefore, a long and 
desperate conflict may tax our strength, and, often 
terrified by the power of the enemy, and depressed 
by a painful sense of our own weakness, we may 
be almost ready to give up the contest. But, 
though thus troubled on every side, only let pa- 
tience have her perfect work, and, with unwaver- 
ing courage, let the Christian, clad in the Gospel 
panoply, stand" and he shall be able " to quench 
all the fiery darts of the wicked. 77 Satan shall cer- 
tainly be put under his feet, and, like Mansoul, he 
shall arrive, at length, " to some good degree of 
peace and quiet. 77 

Nor is this the only result flowing from the be- 
liever's steadfast resistance of sin, for if thus 
successful in opposing the encroachments of Satan, 
he shall be blessed with the presence and love of 
his Saviour,- — a sense of whose favor shall be to 



The Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 251 

Him more than a feast ; and, whereas, he was once 
only conscious of indwelling sin, he shall now be 
more deeply conscious of an indwelling Christ, and 

the joy of the Lord will be his strength. Thus it 
was with Mansoul, for " her Prince also abode with- 
in Tier borders, her Captains also and her soldiers did 
their duties" 

But especially, under such influences, will the 
soul be stirred up to prayer, for, as with Mansoul, 
she will then " mind her trade that she has tvith the 
country afar off" And a most profitable commerce 
this is. It is a trade carried on between a land of 
want and one of unfailing plenty — a business of 
v T ast extent, and conducted, not between neighbor- 
ing continents, but between distant worlds, and 
yet, so perfect in all its arrangements, that there 
is no interruption in the communication, and no 
failure in the abundant return of spiritual bless- 
ings. Of prayer some one has said, " it flies where 
the eagle never flew ; and rises on wings broader 
and stronger than an angel's. It travels further 
and faster than light. Rising from the heart of a 
believer, it shoots away beyond the starry sky, and 



252 Tee Town in its First Beauty ; or 

reaching the throne, enters into the ear of God. 
So soon as the heart begins to work on earth, it 
moves the hand of God in heaven, and ere the 
prayer has left the lips of faith, Jesus has present- 
ed it to the Father, and secured its answer. Thus 
the supply is on the road before the want is 
expressed ; the door opens before the hand has 
struck it ; while prayer is traveling up one line of 
the telegraph, the answer is speeding down the 
other.''' 

The believer knows of no sweeter privilege and 
experiences, no holier enjoyment than that afforded 
him of holding spiritual intercourse with heaven, 
and when " Christ dwells in his heart by faith," he 
will not, he cannot be neglectful of those seasons 
of devotion, which, while they bring him into " audi- 
ence with the Deity/ 7 serve, also, to loosen the bands 
of sin, to purify the soul, to elevate the affections, 
and to raise his whole nature into closer sympathy 
with the holiness and happiness of the redeemed in 
glory. 

But the Christian life is one of effort as well as 
prayer. Mansoul, we are told, was not only mind- 



The Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 253 

ful of the trade which she had with the country 
afar off, but " was busy also with her manufacture" — a 
remark which seems intended to suggest the duty 
of diligently employing our time and talents in 
doing good. We are to labor unceasingly for the 
extension of the divine glory and for the salvation 
of the perishing. If we would be consistent Chris- 
tians, this conjunction of prayer and effort is indis- 
pensable ; for it is only when we are thus found 
working that we can consistently pray — " Let the 
beauty of the Lord our God be upon us : and 
establish thou the work of our hands upon us : yea, 
the work of our hands establish thou it." 

The working forces of the Christian church have, 
of late, been greatly increased. The numerous 
instances of the power of prayer, to which attention 
is frequently called, are manifestly associated with 
remarkable proofs of an increase of religious activ- 
ity ; and we believe that, at the present day, there 
is much to encourage the hope that we are soon to 
witness a higher development of the Christian 
life, than that with which we are now familiar. 
Here and there already we see those who seem to 



254 The Town in its First Beauty ; or, 

know the value of the immortal soul, and who, feel- 
ing for men ready to perish, are putting forth efforts 
for their salvation, in some measure commensurate 
with the vast interests at stake. And when this 
shall be characteristic, not of a few, but of all the 
followers of Christ, they will then be fulfilling their 
true mission, and as the grand result, the kingdom 
of God will speedily come. It is not, however, to 
the effects flowing from prayer and effort on others, 
so much as to their influences on their individual 
own heart, that Bunyan here refers. He evidently 
means to teach us that prayer is a frame of mind 
and holy activity, a habit of life that invariably 
indicate a condition of true spiritual prosperity ; and 
those, therefore, who reach this standard of piety, 
will not only secure to themselves the largest mea- 
sure of happiness, but, at the same time, accomplish 
the greatest amount of good for others. When in 
this state of mind, and, as if to reward him for his 
devotion, the believer experiences a remarkable 
and blessed sense of the presence of his Saviour, 
and in fulfillment of the promise — " I will love him, 
and will manifest myself to him,' 7 Jesus makes all 



Tee Soul Mads Perfect in Holiness. 255 

bis goodness to pass before him, and by the doc- 
trines and cheering promises of his Word, he en- 
courages him to hope, for the greater glory of which 
he is hereafter to be the partaker. 

It is with this delightful feature of Christian ex- 
perience that Bunyan very appropriately closes his 
allegory. Accordingly, we read that Mansoui, hav- 
ing now been brought into a condition of peace 
and happiness, and the Prince having appointed a 
day on which to meet them, he proceeded in touch- 
ing language to rehearse all his dealings with them, 
and in closing, gave them some further instructions 
for their safety and comfort. 

" Many and great/' said Immanuel, " are the priv- 
ileges that I have bestowed upon you ; I have 
singled you out from others, and have chosen you to 
myself, not for your worthiness, but for mine own 
sake. I have also redeemed you, not only from the 
dread of my Father's law, but from the hand of 
Diabolus. This I have done because I loved you, 
and because I have set my heart upon you to do you 
good. 

He then reminds them of their former state of 



258 The Town in its Fikst Beauty ; or 

rebellion, and of his amazing love and forbearance 
toward them, even while they were madly bent on 
their own destruction. He also tells them that he 
had compassed them about and afflicted them on 
every side, that he might make them weary of their 
ways, and willing to do what concerned their own 
good and happiness. He acquaints them, more- 
over, with the fact that he had lodged within their 
borders, " Captains and rulers, soldiers and men of 
war, engines and excellent devices to subdue and 
bring down their foes." He then assures them 
that he had passed by all their backslidings, and 
that they should never again suffer under his anger 
and indignation. Finally, he informs them that, in 
a little while, he would take down the famous town 
of Mansoul, and " carry the stones thereof, and 
the timber thereof, and the walls thereof, and 
the dust thereof, and the inhabitants thereof, into 
his own country, even into the kingdom of his 
Father." " And there, 77 said he, " shall the natives 
of Mansoul see all that of which they have seen 
nothing here ; there shall they be equal to those 
unto whom they have been inferior here. And 



The Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 257 

there shall thou, my Mansoul, have such commu- 
nion with me, with my Father, and with your Lord 
Secretary, as is not possible here to be enjoyed, 
nor ever could be, shouldest thou live in Universe 
the space of a thousand years. " 

In this remarkable speech of Immanuel, we have 
language such as our blessed Eedeemer himseli 
might be supposed to use if addressing his chosen 
people. Our author evidently designs to represent 
the Lord Jesus Christ as making a recapitulation of 
his gracious dealings with the souls of his followers. 
He shows them, first, that they are saved, not by 
merit, but by grace ; which lays them under the 
highest obligation to love and obedience. He then 
speaks to them of his merciful designs in chastening 
them ; of the abundant means which he has pro- 
vided for their spiritual support and improvement ; 
of his amazing mercy in making them the objects 
of his love after all their fearful apostasies ; and 
finally, of his determination, after death, to raise 
them from the grave, and take them where they 
shall enjoy everlasting honor and be as the angels of 
God — where mortality shall at last be " swallowed 



258 The Town in its First Beauty ; or 

up of life/ 7 and body and soul, being made free 
from sin, shall experience the perfect and eternal 
bliss of heaven. 

Now the highest conception that can at present 
be gained of this happy state is associated, beyond 
doubt, with the delightful thought of enjoying it 
with Immanuel. This evidently was the heaven 
for which Paul so earnestly longed, when he desired 
to depart that he might be with Christ ; and the 
idea of being absent from the body and present 
with the Lord, was one which filled his soul with 
unspeakable delight. It was in prospect of this 
great privilege that he said — " Whom having not 
seen we love, in whom though now we see him not, 
yet believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and 
full of glory." In exact agreement with this expe- 
rience, moreover, are the sublime visions reported 
to us in the Apocalypse. Here heaven is opened 
to our view, and, in its glowing descriptions, Christ 
is represented as the glory of the place, lighting up 
all countenances with joy, filling all hearts with 
gladness, and engaging all tongues in adoration and 
praise. In that holy place there is no night, and 



The Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 259 

they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for 
the Lord God and the Lamb are the light thereof. 

Yes, this is heaven. It is to see God ; it is to be 
with Jesus — to be changed into the same image, to 
burn with a seraph's ardor in our adorations, and 
to nnite with cherubim and seraphim in shouting 
alleiujah, salvation and glory and honor and power 
unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 
Lamb ! And when we remember that ail this is not 
for a day, but something that shall last forever, 
how overpowering is its contemplation, and what 
abundant reason has every believer in Christ to 
rejoice in hope of the glory of God ! It is this 
hope that now cheers the saints in all their con- 
flicts with sin, and in anticipation of the amazing 
joys which await them, they are made to renounce 
the world and to long for heaven ! 

This hope, let it be further remarked, generally 
grows brighter and stronger as the believer ap- 
proaches the end of his course, until, in some in- 
stances, it seems almost lost in fruition, and such 
foretastes of glory are given to the soul that it is 
ready to break for the longing it hath. 



260 The Town in its First Beauty ; or, 

It is this blessed experience that Bunyan so 
beautifully describes in his entrancing sketch of the 
land of Beulah. Here, he says, the Pilgrims " heard 
continually the singing of birds, and saw every day 
the flowers appear on the earth, and heard the 
voice of the turtle in the land. In this country the 
sun shineth day and night. Here they were within 
sight of the city they were going to, also here met 
them some of the inhabitants thereof, for in this 
land the shining ones commonly walked because it 
was on the borders of heaven." 

Marvellous as this language may seem to some, 
it after all only shadows forth the amazing bliss 
of one who on earth is favored with foretastes of the 
joys of heaven. Such a favored one was Edward 
Payson, when, in a holy glow of feeling he wrote 
to a beloved sister : 

" Were I to adopt the figurative language of Bun- 
yan, I might date this letter from the land of Beulah, 
of which I have been for some weeks a happy inhab« 
itant. The celestial city is full in my view. Its 
glories beam upon me, its breezes fan me, its odors 
are wafted to me 3 its sounds strike upon my ears, 



The Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 261 

and its spirit is breathed into niy heart. Nothing 
separates me from it but the river of death, which 
now appears but as an insignificant rill, that may 
be crossed at a single step, whenever Q-od shall 
give permission. The Sun of Righteousness has 
been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appear- 
ing larger and brighter as he approached : and now 
he fills the whole hemisphere, pouring forth a flood 
of glory, in which I seem to float like an insect in 
the beams of the sun, exulting, yet almost trembling, 
while I gaze on this excessive brightness, and won- 
dering, with unutterable wonder, why God should 
deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm. A single 
heart and a single tongue seem altogether inade- 
quate to my wants : I want a whole heart for every 
separate emotion, and a whole tongue to express 
that emotion." 

It was this view of heaven that led John Howe, 
in a holy ecstacy, to say one night to his wife — 
" Though I love you as much as it is fit for one 
creature to love another, yet if it were put to my 
choice, whether to die this moment or live this 
night, and by living this night, I could secure to 



262 The Town in its First Beauty j ob, 

myself the continuance cf this life for seven rears 
longer, I should choose to die this moment." And 
it was this same hope and prospect of glory* bring- 
ing near the bliss of eternity, that led Halybub- 
ton to entreat God to stay his hand, lest he should 
be overcome of joy. 

Let it be noticed, however, that while the people 
of Mansoul were assured of future good, and en- 
couraged to hope that the town would ultimately 
be made " a spectacle of wonder and a monument 
of mercy," they were, at the same time, counseled 
to keep their garments " white and clean," and 
faithfully charged to make straight paths for their 
feet, by observing all the Prince's statutes. More- 
over, to cheer their hearts and establish their con- 
fidence, Immanuel is represented as addressing 
them in language of deepest and tenderest affec- 
tion. " Because I live," said he, " thou shalt live 
also. I reconciled thee to my Father by the 
blood of my cross, and being reconciled, thou 
shalt live through me. I will pray for thee, 
I will fight for thee. I will yet do thee good. 
Nothing can hurt thee but sin ; nothing can 



Tee Soul Made Perfect in Holiness. 263 

grieve Hie but sin ; nothing can make thee base 
before thy foes but sin. As I have taught thee to 
watch, to fight, to pray, and to make war against 
my foes, so now I command thee to believe that my 
love is constant to thee. ;; 

And thus it is that the Gospel, while encouraging 
the believer with a " hope of glory/ 3 and by its 
cheering revelations and promises, awakening anti- 
cipations of the exalted privilege of living for ever 
with God, makes it his imperative duty, at the same 
time, to watch against sin ; to keep his garments 
unspotted from the world, and to perfect holiness 
in the fear of the Lord. If this be the aim and 
manner of his life, he will enjoy a constant sense of 
the divine favor, and, resting on the sure pledge of 
his Saviour's love and power, he will be made 
strong against every foe, and, under all circum- 
stances, he will be able to say, — " I am persuaded 
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor prin- 
cipalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor 
things to come ; nor height, nor depth, nor any 
other creature, shall be able to separate us from 
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 



The Town m its First Beauty. 

" Thus on he moves to meet his latter end, 
Angels around befriending virtue's friend ; 
Sinks to the grave with unperceived decay, 
While resignation gently slopes the way ; 
And all his prospect bright' ning to the last, 
His Heaven commences ere the world be past." 



XI. 



" And if I should reacn heaven- 
If one who has so deeply, darkly sinned — 
If one, whom ruin and revolt have held 
With such a fearful grasp — if one for whom 
Satan has struggled, as he hath for me, 
Should ever reach that blissful shore ! — then 
This heart will glow with gratitude and love ! 
And through the ages of eternal years, 
Thus saved, my spirit never shall repent 
That toil and suffering once were mine below." 

" Faith is the grand power in the spiritual battle. It grapples with the 

mere animal and the infidel in man. It conquers the depravity of his 

heart, when that power i« more than a match for his highest intelligence 

and firmest resolutions. It brings the heart into contact with the atone 

•nent, and ' the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. 5 " 

Jesse T. Pecb 



XI. 



THE SPIRITUAL WAR REVIEWED; 



OB, 



SATAN VANQUISHED. 



11 I have fought a good fight ; — Henceforth there is laid up for me a 



" Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord 



HE Christian life is a warfare — a perpetual 



*- struggle with influences and powers which 
unite to oppose and destroy whatever contributes 
to advance an individual in true virtue or holiness. 
" We wrestle," says the Apostle, " not against flesh 
and blood, but against principalities, against pow- 



crown of righteousness." — 2 Tin. iv : 7, 8. 



Jesus Christ. 5 '—! Cor. xv : 57. 




268 The Wae Keviewed ; or 

ers, against spiritual wickedness in high places." 
And in view of this fearful combination of adver- 
saries, we are exhorted to take to ourselves " the 
whole armor of God ; that we may be able to stand 
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 

A sketch of this contest, embracing its prominent 
incidents and its final issue, having been given in 
the preceding lectures, we propose, now, briefly, 
to review this war from its beginning to its glori- 
ous termination. 

The evident design of our ingenious author, in 
the suggestive allegory we have attempted to un- 
fold, is to portray " the good fight of faith ; w and a 
summary of the most important features of this 
fearful struggle, may serve still farther to enforce 
the practical and affecting truths which have been 
already suggested. 

Three general aspects of this war will suffice, 
perhaps, to bring to view the prominent spiritual 
teachings which it is clearly intended to convey. 
"We shall consider, then, — 

I. The original splendor of Mansoul, and the 
influences which brought about its apostasy. 



Satan Vanquished. 269 

II. The contest for its recovery, with the means 
employed to accomplish it. 

III. The successful issue of the war, which re- 
stored the town to its rightful ruler, and its first 
beauty. 

1. Let us consider, first, the original splendor 
of Mansoul, and the influences which brought about 
its apostasy. This town was built, we are told, in * 
the " gallant country of Universe," and was so fair, 
so curious, and so advantageous in its privileges, 
that "there was not its equal under the whole 
heaven." Yea, so goodly was it, when first built, 
that it is said the gods, at the setting up thereof, 
came down to see it, and sung for joy. 

In the midst of the town there was a noble palace 
or castle, which had been reared by the King and 
designed for his own abode. The walls of the 
town had five gates, and these were " such as could 
never be opened, nor forced, but by the will and 
leave of those within." Moreover, among its inhab- 
itants there was not a "rogue, rascal, or traitorous 
person" to be found, and it was privileged to enjoy 
the special countenance and protection of its King. 



270 The War Reviewed ; or 

Upon a certain time, however, there was a 
wicked giant who made an assault upon this town, 
to take it and make it his own habitation. He was 
" a great and mighty prince, and yet, both poor 
and beggarly/' 7 Once he was employed in the 
service of the King, but having, wdth others, been 
convicted of treason, he had been banished from 
the court, and now, to revenge himself, he deter- 
mined to destroy, if possible, " one of the chief 
works and delights of his Sovereign. By various 
devices and stratagems, this most wicked and dar- 
ing enemy succeeded, at length, in gaining entrance 
to Mansoulj and taking possession of the castle, he 
assumed the complete rule of the town, and in a 
short time, every feature of the government was 
entirely changed, and all that once made it a place 
of such attraction and beauty, was either sadly de- 
faced or utterly destroyed. 

Here let us pause to receive instruction. After 
what has already been said, it cannot be necessary 
of course that we should ask whether you under- 
stand what is signified by this singular narrative. 
At once your moral sense detects the import of 



Satan Vanquished. 271 

the figure, and no one can fail to be reminded of 
the great scriptural truths which it is designed to 
illustrate. But, the question is, have you any ade- 
quate conception of the application of this descrip- 
tion to your own state and character ? It is a 
graphic and fearful picture, not of an isolated and 
remote case of spiritual ruin, but of man's univer- 

J- I 

sal apostasy, and it but too truthfully indicates the 
agency by which this most sad result was effected. 
Alas ! alas ! on every hand we meet with the most 
overwhelming proof that the moral condition of 
man has undergone a most mournful change— that 
his nature, once pure and noble, is now debased 
and sensual. In a word, that he is an entirely dif- 
ferent being from what he was as he came from the 
hands of his Maker. If any ask how this fearful 
change has been brought about, we can only say, 
that upon this point, the testimony of God's Word 
is most clear and conclusive. By this we are 
taught that the history of sin in our world dates 
with the fall of our first parents ; and to that fear- 
ful apostasy we are taught to trace those powerful 
innate tendencies to sin, under the sway of which 



272 The War Reviewed ; on 

we are so often obliged to acknowledge our utter 
impotency to good, and our irresistible inclination 
to evil. " Adam/ 7 it is said, " begat a son in his oivn 
likeness 77 — a statement which seems to be in expo- 
sition of this very doctrine ; the likeness here 
spoken of referring, not primarily, to physical form, 
but to moral disposition, and what is said of the 
first descendant of Adam, may be said, with equal 
truth, of every being propagated by his posterity. 
Thus, with David, we must all make the humbling 
confession, " Behold I was shapen in iniquity ; and 
in sin did my mother conceive me." 

But even where this view of the origin of our de- 
pravity is not accepted, the existence of sin cannot 
be questioned, and no mere theory can possibly 
blind men to the fact that, as transgressors, they 
are involved in a condition out of which they have 
no moral ability to raise themselves. In connection 
with the acknowledged existence of sin, however, 
the majority of men seem to be unaccountably and 
deplorably ignorant with reference to the degree 
of their individual culpability. While they assent 
to the general proposition which includes them 



Satan Vanquished. 273 

among the apostate, they seem to have but an im- 
perfect conception of the extent of their apostasy. 
While they acknowledge themselves sinners, they 
have, too often, no clear and settled views as to 
what sin is, and no proper idea, therefore, of the 
enormity of their guilt. By some strange and fell 
delusion they seem to succeed in persuading them- 
selves that they are not guilty in the same sense, 
and to the same degree, as their fellows. 

Because they are not positively vicious, they do 
not regard themselves as deeply sinful. They are 
only appalled at sin w T hen it manifests itself in open 
acts of injustice, or glaring immorality ; and while 
possessing commendable social feelings, and moral 
sensibilities, and holding in abhorrence all crimes 
against civil law, they flatter themselves that they 
must be, in some sense, exceptions to the great 
mass of mankind, and exempt from that sweeping 
verdict of divine truth which declares, " There is 
none that doeth good ; no, not one." 

In opposition to all such false and presumptuous 
notions, however, we hold that the teachings of the 
Scriptures upon this point are of universal applica- 



274 The War Reviewed ; or 

tion, and, consequently, that against every individ- 
ual of the human race, there lies this charge of 
guilt, — a charge which arraigns us all as rebels 
against heaven, and from which no one can consist- 
ently or honestly appeal. 

After all, however, the great difficulty is to bring 
this charge home to the heart and conscience. 
Even the general admission that " by one man's 
disobedience many were made sinners/' is not 
necessarily connected with any proper sense of 
personal guilt. "What we most need is an intelli- 
gent conviction of our individual apostasy from 
God, and to this no man can ever be brought, ex- 
cept through the enlightening influence of the 
Holy Ghost. When this is imparted, the hidden 
depravity of his heart is at once revealed, and, as 
he examines his life, he is made to see the fearful 
subserviency of all his passions and powers to the 
will of Satan, and with deepest shame and sorrow 
he acknowledges himself under the complete con- 
trol of " the spirit that worketh in the children of 
disobedience." From this degrading vassalage, 
however, the soul may be delivered, and the agen- 



Satan Vanquished. 275 

cy by which this is effected will be brought to view 
as we pass to consider — 

2. The contest for the Recovery of Mansonl, 
with the means employed to accomplish it. We 
are told that when the tidings of Mansoul 7 s revolt 
were carried to the King, he lamented its loss, and 
that " at a rate of the highest degree."' Very soon, 
however, it was announced, that it should be recov- 
ered again, and " in such a way as that the King 
and his Son would get themselves eternal farme and 
glory thereby." It was accordingly determined 
that, at a certain time, the King's Son should take 
a journey into the country of Universe, and there 
lay the foundation of MansonPs perfect deliverance. 
The intelligence of this benevolent design having 
been recorded by the Lord Chief Secretary, or- 
ders were given to have the same published in all 
the corners of the kingdom. When this began to 
be known, it was the occasion of great rejoicing 
among those in attendance at the court, while, to 
the Usurper, it proved a cause of " no little moles- 
tation." Every effort was made to keep these good 
tidings from the ears of Mansonl, and by various 



276 The War Reviewed ; or 

wicked devices, the passions and prejudices of the 
people were stirred up, so that they might thus be 
induced to resist the coming of their Deliverer. 
Instead of joyfully welcoming him, therefore, they 
put themselves in an attitude of defence, and it be- 
came necessary to besiege the town with an im- 
mense army, and to assault it with the most 
effective weapons of warfare. At one time, fearing 
they might not be able to maintain their position, 
they reluctantly proposed to capitulate. All their 
terms, however, were promptly rejected, and they 
were, finally, given to understand that unless an 
unconditional surrender was made, the war would 
be vigorously prosecuted to their destruction, and 
the utter ruin of the town. 

Let us pause here again, that we may make a 
practical and personal improvement of this second 
prominent feature in our allegory. Its obvious 
design is to teach us that though by nature de- 
praved, and living in open rebellion against our 
Creator, we may yet, through a provision of his 
infinite grace, be pardoned, and brought into a 
state of reconciliation, " I have loved you," says 



Satan Vanquished. 277 

Jehovah, " with an everlasting love : therefore, with 
loving kindness have I drawn thee." And when, 
in connection with this declaration, we read that 
wonderful, incomprehensible statement, — " God so 
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son * * * that the world through him might be 
saved." — we have brought to view, at the same 
time, the proof and development of that purpose 
of mercy, " which was given us in Christ Jesus 
before the .world began." 

By this marvellous expedient, Divine Wisdom 
designs the recovery of our apostate race, and in 
the consummation of those eternal counsels which 
relate to human redemption, the Universe will be 
called to witness and admire the highest exhibi- 
tion of God's grace and wisdom. 

It was by this arrangement that the foundation 
of our perfect deliverance was laid, and in the 
Gospel we have revealed this wonderful scheme of 
salvation, — a scheme which not only harmonizes 
with every perfection of the Divine nature, but, in 
its results, is certain- of achieving the highest ends 
of human happiness. But while angels and arch 



278 The Wae Beviewed ; or 

angels exult in this manifestation of the riches and 
wisdom of God's grace, our great Adversary, with 
wicked malevolence, is constantly seeking its sub- 
version, and alas ! so successful are his devices that, 
even lost men, instead of promptly and joyfully 
receiving Christ as their Saviour, are found scorn- 
fully rejecting all the overtures of his mercy, and 
proudly refusing to acknowledge him as their only 
rightful sovereign. 

To overcome this determined resistance, and 
bring sinners, through repentance and faith, to 
yield their hearts to God, is the great design of the 
various means and instrumentalities which are used 
for the spread and- establishment of Christianity. 
Prominent among these, however, are the labors of 
the Ministry ; and while those who are called to 
this work, go forth emphatically, on an embassy 
of peace, bearing with them a generous treaty from 
the court of Heaven, and beseeching men, in 
Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God, yet, how 
affecting is the thought, that such labors often be- 
come, in a certain sense, accessory to their perdi- 
tion ; in other words, that, to many, these very 



Satan Vanquished. 279 

ambassadors prove only a " savor of death unto 
death." But, happily, these benevolent efforts, 
which are put forth for the recovery of the lost, ac- 
complish, in not a few instances, a very different 
result. Multitudes, thus convinced of their guilt, 
are brought into a state of deep contrition, and, 
acknowledging the righteousness of the Divine 
claims, they are led to ground the weapons of their 
rebellion ; and, whereas they were once found ob- 
stinately rejecting the counsels of God against 
themselves, and making Christ an Avenger ; they 
are now prepared cordially to embrace the truth, 
and joyfully to welcome Jesus as a Sovereign and 
a Saviour. 

3. We pass now to notice the successful issue 
of the war, which restored Mansoul to its rightful 
Rule, and to its first beauty. 

Though the most favorable terms of reconcilia- 
tion had been proposed to Mansoul, they were all, 
it is said, proudly rejected, and it became neces- 
sary for the army of Immanuel to assault the town, 
and thus take it by force. Accordingly prepara- 
tions were at once made for battle. After several 



28C The War Reviewed ; or 

desperate charges, Ear Gate was finally broken 
open, when the forces of Immanuel entered the 
town, and pressed their way to take possession of 
the Recorder's house, and also to demand the sur- 
render of the palace for the use of their Prince. 
In accomplishing these remarkable feats of valor, 
several very mischievous enemies were slain, the 
impregnable castle was also carried ; and now, the 
Prince, clad in his resplendent armor, marched with 
his attendants into the town, and. having cast out 
Diabolus, took possession of the castle. Mansoul 
was now at the mercy of Immanuel, and fearing lest 
he might quickly avenge his wrongs, and deal with 
them as adversaries, the people began earnestly to 
petition for pardon. Their suit, though for a time 
disregarded, was at last granted, and as the result 
of this clemency, the town, we are told, was filled 
with universal rejoicing. The government, also, 
was entirely changed, all the old rulers were re- 
moved, and, in their place, such officers were ap- 
pointed as would strictly adhere to the laws of 
their Prince, and administer the government for 
the good of the town. But what contributed most 



Satan Vanquished. 281 

to their felicity was that the Prince himself now 
dwelt in their midst, and he would " feast them/'' 
it is said, " and be. with them continually ; hardly 
a week would pass, but a banquet must be betwixt 
him and them, yea, every day with Mansoul was 
now a feast-day," With all this, however, they 
were not entirely free from danger. There were nu- 
merous lurking enemies within, and hosts of des- 
perate foes without, whose chief aim it was to 
conspire and plot against their prosperity and 
peace ; more than once, indeed, they were well 
nigh destroyed by these adversaries, and nothing 
but unshaken confidence in their Prince, joined 
with unremitted diligence, and "untiring patience, 
saved them from falling again under the wicked and 
despotic rule of Diabolus, 

And when the town of Mansoul, says Banyan, 
had thus far rid themselves of so many of their ene- 
mies, and the troublers of their peace, the Prince 
instructed them in matters which, "if observed, 
would tend to their farther safety and comfort, and 
to the condemnation and destruction of their home- 
bred Diabolonians." And having thus admonished 



232 The War Reviewed ; ok 

and counselled them, he gave them, in conclusion, 
a pledge of his unchanging love, and an assurance 
of their future advancement both in happiness and 
honor. 

Now all this only represents, in outline, what 
occurs in the history of almost every man's conver- 
sion. There is a marked difference, we admit, in 
the reception given to the Gospel by those under 
conviction. In some instances the heart is mani- 
festly more easily brought into subjection ; the 
conflict is soon over, and instead of violent opposi- 
tion to the Divine mercy, there is a cheerful accept- 
ance of its proffered provisions. In many cases 
God is pleased, undoubtedly, to deal so gently with 
gracious souls that they are not able to tell the 
precise time at which they were convicted, par- 
doned, and translated from darkness to light. In 
reviewing the map of their pilgrimage, they are at 
a loss to remember the starting point of their 
spiritual life, and if we should speak to such, of 
the desperate resistance 3 the wilful and violent op- 
position of the heart to the authority and grace of 
God they might truthfully affirm that they had 



Satan Vanquished. 283 

never known sucli feelings, and had never passed 
through such an experience. In the majority of 
instances, however, we are persuaded it is quite 
the reverse. There is in men, generally, a deep 
seated enmity against the claims of the Gospel, and 
a protracted struggle ensues before they can be 
brought to acknowledge their guilt, and yield their 
hearts to Christ. 

But when the truth once gains an entrance, and the 
conscience and the heart are reached, the work of 
subjugating the soul to God is soon effected. Then 
its deep rebellion is discovered ; many of its hidden 
evils are brought to view ; and an end is at once 
put to some of its most cherished sins. Moreover, 
Satan having been cast out, Christ now enters, and 
taking possession, asserts his rightful sovereignty. 
Though willing to receive him, however, and to ac- 
knowledge its allegiance, so deep is the soul's dis- 
tress, and so intense its anguish under the discov- 
ery of its guilt and rebellion, that it can scarcely 
endure its torments. As old Burton says — " It con- 
sumes them to nought, God's heavy wrath is 
kindled in their souls, and, notwithstanding their 



284 The War Beviewed ; or 

continual prayers and supplications to Christ Jesas ? 
they have no release or ease at all, but a most in- 
tolerable torment, and insufferable anguish of 
conscience." Nor can they know anything like 
comfort until, by an assurance of pardon, they are 
brought to enjoy a sweet sense of peace with God. 
Then the heart is filled with gladness, and, as with 
Mansoul, every day is " a feast day." The great 
effort of the believer now, is to bring into captivity 
every thought to the obedience of Christ. In his 
daily life he is found manfully " striving against 
sin," and, in the confident hope of vanquishing 
every foe, and reigning forever with Christ, he 
presses on till, at last, he achieves a complete vic- 
tory, and " receives a crown of glory that fadeth 
not away." 

Most happily has Bunyan styled this a Holy 
War j for it is a conflict, as we have seen, involv- 
ing interests which no finite powers can compre- 
hend, and fraught with issues which not only tell 
now upon the soul's purity and happiness, but 
which must affect forever its character and destiny. 
In this magnificent strife every child of Adam is a 



Satan Vanquished. 285 

party, and the great question is, with which of 
these opposing forces are you ranked. In the 
great controversy that agitates Earth and divides 
the Universe, are you on the side of Heaven, or 
Hell ? Are you fighting against the Almighty, or 
are you with Him in resisting the reign of sin ? 
Are your interests with the people of God, or with 
the Adverse Powers of Darkness ? Have you 
chosen the sinning and losing side in this contest, 
or are you on the side of holiness, and through Al- 
mighty Power, assured of ultimate victory ? Re- 
member your happiness, your all, for time and 
eternity depend on your relation to this warfare, 
and if any continue to resist the claims of Christ, 
in the great day of his triumph he shall say, " Those 
mine enemies, which would not that I should reign 
over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." 
But those who have followed him as the Captain 
of their Salvation, and nobly acquitted themselves 
in this life-battle, shall .not only come off victori- 
ous, but in the end be crowned with everlasting 
honor ; for he has said, " To him that overcometh 
will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even 



286 The War Reviewed. 

as I also overcame, and am set down with my 
Father in his throne." 

" There shall the conqueror rest, 

And in that bright abode 
Tor ever reign amid the blest, 

Triumphant with his God." 



THE END, 



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